The Green Bay Packers were deeply concerned when Jordan Love had to be assisted off the field at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil, following a troubling knee injury.
Love appeared to be in significant discomfort, prompting the team to postpone a comprehensive evaluation of his knee until their return to Green Bay. Fortunately, the subsequent tests revealed results that were more favorable than anticipated.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Love managed to avoid a severe injury. The diagnosis confirmed an MCL sprain but, crucially, no damage to the ACL.
Rapoport noted, “#Packers QB Jordan Love, who went down with a lower leg injury late in his team’s loss to the #Eagles in Brazil, had tests on his knee today that revealed an MCL sprain, source said. No ACL damage.”
Despite the relief, Rapoport suggested that Love “should miss some time,” which is a concern following the Packers’ loss in their season opener. Nevertheless, this outcome represents the most favorable scenario given the circumstances. It could have been far worse.
The duration of Love’s absence remains uncertain. Injuries vary in recovery time, but to provide some context, Aaron Jones experienced multiple MCL sprains during his time with the Packers and generally missed between two to four games. Ideally, Love, as a quarterback, might return sooner.
In Love’s absence, Malik Willis stepped in and is expected to start for the Packers in the upcoming games. The team might also consider exploring other options or promoting Sean Clifford from the practice squad, given his familiarity with the Packers’ offensive system.
The crucial takeaway here is that Love is not expected to face an extended period on the sidelines. An ACL tear would have ended his season and necessitated a prolonged recovery that could have disrupted his offseason preparations. Thankfully, this severe scenario was avoided.
The hope is that Love will have a minimal recovery period and potentially return to play through the injury if necessary. This will be a decision for Matt LaFleur to address in the coming days.
For now, there is reason for cautious optimism. Given the severity of the initial concern, the Packers can be relieved as this represents the best possible outcome.
