The Green Bay Packers had a bad NFL season opener as it gets. Aside from suffering a 29-34 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Packers also saw franchise quarterback Jordan Love go down with an MCL sprain.
The Packers and Eagles faced off at Sao Paolo’s Arena Corinthians in the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil. The Packers, down five points, received the ball back with 22 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter, and Love started the drive with a 33-yard pass to Jayden Reed.
On the second play of the drive, Love was hit by defensive tackle Jalen Carter and linebacker Josh Sweat as he dropped back for a pass. He remained on the ground after the tackle and needed to be helped off the field. Backup Malik Willis went in for the final two snaps but was unable to move the chains further.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the initial tests showed that Love is dealing with a sprained MCL. If the diagnosis turns out to be correct, he will likely need to sit out between three and four weeks.
The news represents a tough blow for the Packers, who were predicted to be one of the top contenders in the NFC after a strong finish of the 2023 season.
Before the injury, Love completed 17 out of his 34 passes while throwing for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He was playing his first game since signing a four-year, $220 million extension that made him tied with Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow as the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback.
