“When I say my dad taught me everything, I mean everything.” These words of Jordan Love about his father sum it all up. Football players don’t often share rare glimpses into their personal lives. But the Packers quarterback Jordan Love isn’t like most players. These words reflect the deep impact his father had on his life. The quarterback carries a deeply personal story that shaped him. And that starts with his father, Orbin Love.
Before Jordan Love was born, his parents, Orbin and Anna Love, were happily raising their three daughters. Still, Orbin deeply wished for a son. That wish came true in 1998 when they welcomed Jordan, who would one day become the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback. Years later, in July 2013, tragedy struck when Orbin died by suicide. However, depression didn’t cause it. In a recent piece for The Players’ Tribune titled “None of This Was Supposed to Happen”, Jordan spoke up for the first time about the heartbreaking circumstances that led to his father’s death.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 25: Utah State quarterback Jordan Love answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on February 25, 2020 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
According to Jordan Love, blood pressure medication drastically changed Orbin’s personality. “He hadn’t been his normal self for a while,” Love said. “He was hiding all that stuff from us kids, but the medication he was taking had really changed him. They couldn’t figure out what was going on, and he was really suffering.” Jordan’s mom, Anna Love, described it as a “medical demon” – a haunting change in a man who had always been the light in every room. Tragically, that light went out in the summer after Jordan’s freshman year of high school. Can you imagine hearing news like that after a simple basketball game?
That’s exactly what happened. Their aunt had picked Jordan and his sister up instead of their mom. Then came the devastating news. Jordan didn’t feel it was real until he saw his mother’s face 10 hours later. His father had been everything to him – his coach, his role model, his best friend. “Football, basketball, every sport imaginable – we were always in the yard.” After his father’s death, Jordan Love admitted that he was lost. “I wanted to quit football. Honestly, I kind of wanted to give up on everything.” But his mom stepped in.
Anna Love made a simple deal with her son: “If you keep playing football, I’ll always be there for you.” And she has kept that promise to this day. Even during Jordan Love’s rocky first start in 2021, where fans booed him and defenders hit him hard, his mom was in the stands at Arrowhead Stadium. She sat silently and prayed he wouldn’t get hurt.
Love joked that she might’ve been thinking, “I love you, but you really need to play better.” That blend of tough love and unwavering support clearly made a lasting impact. But there’s another story that Jordan shared recently, one that might have completely changed how the world sees him today.
Jordan Love’s connection with Michael Jordan
Jordan Love’s father had a strong admiration for athletes, especially basketball legends. A sports lover himself, Orbin was a police officer who believed in the motto: “Try everything.” Naturally, he had a bold idea when his son was born. Turns out, Jordan Love’s dad wanted to name him ‘Michael Jordan Love.’
That name would’ve raised some eyebrows, especially in the sports world. Thankfully, Anna vetoed it. “My mom vetoed it, thank God,” Jordan Love said. Imagine having to live under the constant comparisons such a name would bring? Jordan Love was relieved that it didn’t happen. Still, the story reveals just how much influence sports had in the Love household – and how much pride his father felt about raising a future athlete.
Despite not being named after the NBA legend, Jordan Love was set to carve his own legacy in football. Throughout his NFL career, Love has known that he’s not trying to fill anyone else’s shoes – not even those of Aaron Rodgers. “I’m not Aaron Rodgers. I’m my own man with my own story,” Jordan said. “I want to make my own mark on this franchise… and I just think about what all this would have meant to my father.” Isn’t that what legacy is all about – taking what you’ve been given and turning it into something new, something personal?
Despite carrying the heavy pressure of expectations, Jordan Love has been making progress in his life and career. After signing a record-tying $220 million extension this year, he just got married to his longtime partner, Ronika. Then, on the field, he has been developing his skills at training camp. But Jordan Love’s story isn’t just about record-breaking contracts or football legacy. It’s about resilience, family, and the kind of quiet strength that carries you through the hardest times. Whether it’s a name that could’ve defined him or a loss that almost broke him, Love continues to write his own powerful story – one play at a time.
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