The Green Bay Packers went all-in last season. They traded for Micah Parsons. They rebuilt around their young core. And they still have Super Bowl ambitions for 2026. But before anyone books their ticket to New Orleans, there’s a problem that keeps showing up on film — and in the stat sheet.
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated broke down Jordan Love’s 2025 season ahead of training camp, and the numbers are ugly for one specific situation: playing under pressure.
Huber pointed out that 38 quarterbacks in the NFL faced at least 85 dropbacks where they were under duress last year. Love was the only one who didn’t throw a single touchdown pass in those situations. Zero. The league median was five. Love had four interceptions to go with that zero, while Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw seven touchdowns and one pick when pressured.
Huber didn’t sugarcoat it. He called Love “one of the worst under-pressure quarterbacks in the league.” That’s not a hot take. That’s what the numbers say.
Now, Love’s overall season wasn’t a disaster. He threw for 3,381 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. That’s a solid year for most starters. But solid doesn’t win rings, especially in a division where you have to outduel guys like Williams and maybe even Kirk Cousins if the Vikings get their act together.
The Packers’ offense is built around the run game. They want to control tempo, lean on their backs, and let Love take shots off play-action. But when teams load the box and force Love to beat them with his arm under pressure, things fall apart. That’s a bad sign for a team with championship expectations.
“To be a great quarterback, sometimes you have to almost single-handedly win the play,” Huber wrote. “Can Love take that next step?”
That’s the $40 million question right now.
This isn’t about Love’s arm talent or his ability to make throws from a clean pocket. We’ve seen him do that. This is about what happens when the plan breaks down and he has to create something out of nothing. Right now, that part of his game is a liability.
Williams, for all the noise around him in Chicago, has that part figured out. He can extend plays and make throws while guys are hanging on him. That’s the difference between a good quarterback and a great one in today’s NFL.
If Love doesn’t improve under pressure in 2026, the Packers are going to keep having the same problem. They’ll win 10 or 11 games, look dangerous in December, and then lose a playoff game where the defense gets home and Love can’t find an answer.
Green Bay didn’t trade for Parsons and load up to be a good regular-season team. They want to win it all. And right now, their quarterback has a hole in his game that defensive coordinators are going to keep attacking until he proves he can fix it.
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