Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love took on a new role in the team's final preseason game, calling the offensive plays during the second half of their 42-38 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Head coach Matt LaFleur approached Love on the field before the game with the proposal. "I just went up to him. It’s not like he had time to prep. I was just like, ‘Hey, you want to call the second half?’" LaFleur said. "He said, ‘Sure. Yeah, I’ll do it.’ And he did it and he did an outstanding job."
Under Love's play-calling, the Packers erased an 11-point deficit in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the game to secure the win. LaFleur noted Love's composed demeanor on the headset during critical moments, stating, "That was pretty cool, to hear his demeanor on the headset and how calm, cool and collected he was throughout the entire game, especially during those critical moments. That’s not a surprise to me because that’s what we see on the field, too."
While Love was directing the offense, third-string quarterback Kyle McCord played the entire game. McCord completed 22 of his 35 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns. McCord, a 2025 sixth-round pick who spent last season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, expressed hope that his performance would be enough to make the Packers' 53-man roster. "It’s out of my control at this point," McCord said. "I did everything that I could’ve to make a case for myself. And so now we just wait and see."