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The Justin Herbert hurdle: What Jordan Love needs to do
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- The Justin Herbert hurdle: What Jordan Love needs to do
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Jordan Love is starting to pick up recognition across the NFL, and a lot of it feels well-earned. Even with the growing support, though, there's still reason to hit pause on any comparisons to the league's elite.
After joining the Packers , Gannon called Love "top tier" and pointed to him as a major factor in why Green Bay stood out.
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That doesn't go unnoticed. It's rare for defensive coaches to speak highly of quarterbacks without good reason. Gannon has prepared for Love, seen his arm talent up close, and understands how tough Green Bay can be when he's playing well.
Love has proven himself a quality quarterback. He combines strong arm talent with mobility and a willingness to challenge defences at all levels of the field.
He built on that progress in 2025. Love threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions, posting a 101.2 passer rating, a significant jump in efficiency that Green Bay needed.
That's why there's real belief building around him now. Love isn't just living off potential anymore—he has the numbers to back up his case as someone who can lead the Packers to success.
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The issue comes when that praise gets overstretched. It's one thing to call him talented; labelling him elite sets a different bar entirely.
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Herbert is the More Reliable Standard
There's still a gap between Justin Herbert and Jordan Love. And it goes beyond just numbers.
Herbert has a far more established track record. He's up to 24,820 career passing yards with 163 touchdowns and 58 interceptions. Love, meanwhile, has put together 11,535 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 31 picks.
The workload difference isn't small. Love's numbers are efficient, but Herbert has been carrying that kind of volume for much longer.
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And then there's the physical profile. Herbert checks every box: size, arm strength, command of the pocket. He looks exactly how teams want a franchise quarterback to look on paper.
2025 stats highlight how close the gap is
Love has a strong case based on 2025 alone. He was more efficient, threw fewer picks, and gave the Packers steadier play than some had predicted.
Herbert's year was less consistent. His 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions are solid numbers, but he didn't match Love's level of efficiency.
The context matters, though. Herbert dealt with a left-hand injury and played behind an unstable offensive line—a point even highlighted by the Chargers ' own coverage of the season.
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This isn't an easy call. Love had the edge in efficiency last year, while Herbert still brings a larger body of work to the table.
Neither side has ended the discussion
The postseason results keep both quarterbacks from being called elite without some pushback. Herbert is still looking for his first playoff win, while Love has just one so far.
After the Chargers' loss, Herbert admitted he "wasn't good enough," and that kind of outcome tends to stick until a player changes the narrative. Love also hasn't yet shown he can take Green Bay all the way through a tight NFC playoff race.
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This is where things stand: Love is on the rise, and Herbert is still viewed as the stronger overall talent. But neither has done enough in January to settle the debate.
Gannon's optimism about Love was well-placed. Green Bay has every reason to believe they've found their long-term answer at quarterback, and it wouldn't be a surprise if his best years are still to come.
The comparison with Herbert just brings a bit of perspective. There's no rush to put Love ahead of quarterbacks who have already carried a bigger load in this league.
Until Love turns that efficiency into a deeper postseason run, Herbert remains the line he still has to cross.
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