Packers, QB Jordan Love Agree to Four-Year, $220M Contract Extension

The Green Bay Packers agreed to terms with quarterback Jordan Love on a four-year, $220 million contract extension, according to multiple reports. The $55 million average per year matches the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow ($55 million) for the highest in NFL history.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will receive a record $75 million signing bonus, $155 million in full guarantees

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta and Andrew Kessler of Athletes First. The multi-year contract includes a record $75 million signing bonus and $155 million in new full guarantees. His signing bonus will be paid by December, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This news came shortly after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa inked a four-year, $212.4 million extension. Tagovailoa’s deal is the largest in franchise history and includes $167 million guaranteed.

Love, 25, is now under contract with Green Bay through the 2028 season. Although he reported for training camp with the rest of the team this week, he staged a hold out — refusing to practice until the contract was negotiated.

Jordan Love and the Packers have agreed to a 4 year $220M contract, that makes him the highest paid QB in NFL history. He also gets a record $75M Signing Bonus plus $155M in new full gurantees. Deal negotiated by David Mulugheta & Andrew Kessler of Athletes First. pic.twitter.com/dKDtzUrakX

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 27, 2024

However, he did attend practice and participate in off-field activities, including meetings and film sessions. Love is expected to see the field on Saturday, when the team practices in pads for the first time.

Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the earliest possible date the Packers could have signed him was May 3. NFL rules prohibit players from signing an extension again within the first 12 months.

Love’s previous one-year, $13.5 million contract extension added the 2024 season to his rookie deal

Love’s previous deal added the 2024 season to his rookie contract. It was in line with the team picking up the fifth-year option on that contract. Green Bay then offered Love an $8.7 million signing bonus.

According to Spotrac, his base salary for last season was $1.01 million. The prior contract included incentives that would have added $5 million to a $5.5 million base salary for 2024.

Love was selected 26th overall by the Packers in the 2020 NFL draft out of Utah State. Though, the 6-foot-4, 219-pounder sat behind Aaron Rodgers for three seasons.

Of course, Love did not become the Packers’ full-time starting quarterback until general manager Brian Gutekunst traded Rodgers to the New York Jets in April 2023.

The 2020 Draft produced five of the biggest QB contracts in NFL history

No. 1: Joe Burrow: Five years, $275M
No. 5: Tua Tagovailoa: Four years, $212.4M
No. 6: Justin Herbert: Five years, $262.5M
No. 26: Jordan Love: Four years, $220M
No. 53: Jalen Hurts: Five years, $255M pic.twitter.com/hiEN6SakNA

— NFL (@NFL) July 27, 2024

In the 2023 regular season, Love threw for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 64.2% of his passes. He was one of four quarterbacks last season to rank in the top 10 in passing touchdowns (second behind Dak Prescott) and passing yards (seventh).

Love made the playoffs in his first season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. That’s something neither Rodgers nor Brett Favre accomplished in their first seasons as the starter.

“I’m really happy for Jordan,” Packers president Mark Murphy said this offseason. “The way he played — and not only the level he played at, especially as the season got on — he just seemed to get more and more confident.

“But his leadership, we saw that throughout the offseason and certainly during the season. So, I’m really, really pleased with the way he’s played, and I just think the future is really bright.”

Packers started 2-5 last season, finished 9-8 to make the playoffs

Despite a 2-5 start to begin the 2023 season, Jordan Love started all 17 games and led the Packers to a 9-8 record. During the playoffs, Green Bay defeated the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in the wild card round.

Love finished with three touchdowns and no interceptions at Dallas. In the divisional round loss at the San Francisco 49ers, he threw the game-ending interception on the final drive. It was still a surprising turn of events.

The Packers were projected to win between six to eight games last season. Love proved a number of critics wrong down the stretch. Over the final eight games, he recorded 18 touchdown passes to one interception while completing 70.3% of his passes for 2,150 yards.

“To go through the tough stretch in October and to see him so steady through all that, and just really lead our team to get better week in and week out, and to see the rewards at the end of the season, I was very excited for him and our football team,” Gutekunst said after the season ended.

Heading into the 2024 season, Love and the Green Bay Packers are aiming to make their fifth playoff appearance in six seasons. Green Bay hasn’t advanced to the NFC championship since the 2020 season. The team also hasn’t appeared in a Super Bowl since the 2010 season.