The ongoing debate over Jordan Love’s true ceiling just erupted into one of the loudest conversations of the 2025 NFL season. Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky has never been shy with his opinions, but this time he lit the fuse on a full-blown leaguewide controversy after fiercely defending Love’s rise into elite status.

Following the Green Bay Packers’ dominant Thanksgiving victory over the Detroit Lions — a game in which Love delivered four touchdowns and controlled Matt LaFleur’s offense with surgical precision — Orlovsky took to X (formerly Twitter) to unleash a passionate critique of anyone still doubting the Packers star.

This wasn’t a polite endorsement. It was a challenge.

Orlovsky wrote that Jordan Love has “graduated from the potential stage” and is no longer a quarterback you evaluate based on what he might become, but based on the elite player he already is. He highlighted Love’s command of the offense, his improved decision-making, his ability to anticipate windows, and his cool execution in critical third- and fourth-down situations.

The message, in typical Orlovsky fashion, was blunt — even confrontational. He implied that anyone who still questioned Love’s status among top NFL quarterbacks was simply being ignorant.

Within minutes, the take went viral.

Packers fans flooded the comments in celebration. Rival fans argued back. Analysts debated the meaning of “elite.” And suddenly, the idea of Jordan Love as a leading 2025 MVP candidate didn’t seem like a fantasy — it sounded like a real conversation.

But as the hype machine fired up, Jordan Love himself delivered the kind of grounded, unshaken response that only added fuel to the legend forming around him.

When reporters asked Love about Orlovsky’s viral post, the Packers quarterback simply smiled — the smile of a player who refuses to be rattled by praise or criticism.

“I really appreciate those kinds of words,” Love said, “but I still just see myself as a guy trying to do his job well every week. If anyone deserves the credit, it’s the whole team — from the O-line to the receivers to the coaching staff.”

Love went on to make it clear that personal awards aren’t what drive him.

“MVP or top-QB talk, that’s the kind of stuff that comes if you’re doing everything right for your team. What I care about is helping the Packers win games, get to the playoffs, and compete for a Super Bowl. Everything else is just extra.”

That contrast — Orlovsky firing off a fiery defense of Love with a bit of edge, while Love himself stays calm, humble, and relentlessly team-first — instantly became one of the sports world’s favorite juxtapositions. Packers fans began pairing Orlovsky’s tweet with Love’s quotes, posting captions like “Our MVP,” “QB1 of the future,” and “He doesn’t need to talk — the film does the talking.”

Some fans even went as far as calling it the beginning of a “fairytale MVP story,” with comments such as:

“If there’s going to be a Cinderella-style MVP run in 2025, it has to be Jordan Love. Everything lines up.”

And it’s hard to argue that Love hasn’t earned the momentum. Over the past month, he has been one of the hottest quarterbacks in football — stacking clean performances, showcasing a deep understanding of LaFleur’s system, and proving he can thrive even when the offense isn’t at full strength.

NFL insiders have quietly begun moving him upward on MVP watch lists. Opposing defensive coordinators have started speaking about him with the tone reserved for quarterbacks who require full-week preparation. Even veteran players across the league have chimed in, noting that Love’s composure in late-game moments is starting to resemble that of established superstars.

But perhaps the most striking part of this entire storyline is the leadership element.

Jordan Love no longer looks like “the guy after Aaron Rodgers.” He looks like the face of the Green Bay Packers. A quarterback who commands respect not through headlines or swagger, but through poise, preparation, and performance.

And that’s exactly why Dan Orlovsky doubled down later in the day, reiterating his stance to ESPN viewers:

“If you still don’t think Jordan Love is a top NFL quarterback right now… you’re the problem.”

The NFL MVP race is still wide open. But one thing is undeniable: Jordan Love’s name is now at the center of the conversation — and the noise around him is only getting louder.