Packers' Love helped off after last-second injury
-
Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love could not finish Friday’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles after he suffered an apparent lower left leg injury with 6 seconds left in a 34-29 loss in São Paulo.
Love needed help to get to the sideline, and while he appeared to be moving slightly better as he walked to the locker room after the game, he still needed assistance from head athletic trainer Nate Weir and running back Josh Jacobs under each one of his arms.
Coach Matt LaFleur was twice asked about Love’s status in his postgame news conference and both times said: “I don’t know.”
Love did not speak to reporters after the game.
“We know what kind of guy he is, how he approaches everything,” wide receiver Christian Watson said. “Whatever it is, I know he’s going to get through it. We’re going to get through it.”
Love was trying to rally the Packers on a final drive. After a 33-yard completion to Jayden Reed that put the Packers at their 49-yard line, Love dropped back to pass on the next play, was hit by two Eagles defenders — defensive tackle Jalen Carter and outside linebacker Josh Sweat — and appeared to twist his leg on the way to the ground just as he managed to flip the ball behind him to Jacobs.
Malik Willis, acquired by the Packers in a trade from the Tennessee Titans last week, took the final two snaps — an incompletion and a sack. The only other quarterback under contract with the Packers is Sean Clifford, last year’s backup who was released last month in final cuts but re-signed to the practice squad.
Love’s injury came in his first regular-season game since signing a four-year, $220 million contract on July 26 that tied him for the NFL’s highest-paid player. He played only three snaps in the preseason opener and then did not play in the final two exhibition games.
“That’s the franchise right there,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “Hopefully, he can be back next week and he can be all right.”
Love finished 17-of-34 passing for 260 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
