GREEN BAY, WI — According to Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, the criticism surrounding Jordan Love after Saturday night’s heartbreaking playoff loss says more about expectations and roster construction than it does about the quarterback himself.

Aikman believes Love’s career is unfolding along a familiar NFL trajectory — one nearly identical to Matthew Stafford’s years in Detroit before his Super Bowl triumph with the Rams.

“Jordan is an elite quarterback,” Aikman said during his post-game analysis. “But like Stafford in Detroit, he’s being asked to carry a roster that hasn’t been built to support championship football — especially on defense.”

Love just threw four touchdowns in a playoff game. He built an 18-point lead. He gave the Packers every opportunity to advance. Yet the defense allowed 28 unanswered points in the worst playoff collapse in franchise history — and somehow, Love is the one facing questions about whether he’s “the guy.”

Aikman, who knows the weight of playing quarterback under championship-or-bust expectations better than almost anyone, argues that the evaluation of Love has ignored critical context.

“Quarterbacks don’t win alone,” Aikman said. “You need the right coaching, the right structure, and a defense that doesn’t force you to be perfect every single drive. Jordan gave them four touchdowns. That should be enough.”

The Stafford Parallel: Elite QB, Flawed Support

For years, Love has been asked to compensate for breakdowns elsewhere — a defense that can’t hold leads, special teams mistakes, and a roster that entered the playoffs on a four-game losing streak. When the Packers fall short, the blame tends to land squarely on his shoulders.

Aikman points to Matthew Stafford’s transformation as the clearest example of how perception can change overnight.

“For over a decade, people said Stafford couldn’t win the big one,” Aikman explained. “He put up huge numbers in Detroit, carried terrible rosters to respectability, and still got criticized every January. That narrative didn’t change because he suddenly became a better player. It changed because he was finally put in a situation designed to win.”

When Stafford joined the Rams in 2021, he stepped into a defined offensive identity, a head coach who maximized his strengths, and — critically — a defense capable of closing games. The result was a Super Bowl championship and an immediate rewrite of his legacy.

Aikman believes Love is capable of the same leap.

“Jordan has everything you want in a franchise quarterback,” Aikman said. “The arm talent, the toughness, the leadership. What he doesn’t have is a defense that can protect an 18-point lead. That’s not on him.”

The Numbers Don’t Lie

The stats from Saturday night’s collapse tell the real story:

Jordan Love’s performance:

• 323 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
• Built a 21-3 first-half lead
• Made clutch throws under pressure
• Gave his team every chance to win

Packers defense’s performance:

• Allowed 28 unanswered points
• Couldn’t stop a rookie quarterback in crunch time
• Surrendered the largest blown playoff lead in franchise history
• Failed to get a single critical stop when needed

“You can’t blame a quarterback who throws four touchdowns,” Aikman said bluntly. “At some point, the defense has to make a play. And they didn’t.”

The Responsibility Sits With the Organization

While Aikman stopped short of suggesting Love should demand a trade, he made it clear the responsibility now sits squarely with the Packers organization.

“If you believe in Jordan — and you should, because he just proved he can perform on the playoff stage — then you have to build properly around him,” Aikman said. “You can’t ask a quarterback to overcome defensive collapses year after year and then judge him solely by January results. That’s not fair, and it’s not smart.”

The debate surrounding Love has already begun to divide Packers fans and analysts. Some argue the team has reached its ceiling with him. Others believe he has been unfairly judged through the lens of unrealistic expectations and roster flaws beyond his control.

Aikman’s view is unequivocal: history suggests patience and proper construction matter far more than hot takes.

“The NFL has misjudged elite quarterbacks before,” Aikman said. “Stafford was labeled for years as someone who ‘couldn’t win the big one’ until the environment changed. The moment he got a complete team around him, he won a Super Bowl.”

Love’s “Rams Moment” Could Be Closer Than You Think

According to Troy Aikman, Jordan Love may be much closer to his “Rams moment” than people realize — but only if the Packers make the necessary changes.

“Green Bay needs to look in the mirror,” Aikman said. “They have an elite quarterback. They have the most important position locked down. Now they need to give him a defense that doesn’t blow 18-point leads in playoff games.”

Aikman pointed to the offseason as critical: “This is when championships are built. Draft well. Sign the right free agents. Fix the defense. Give Jordan the support he deserves. Because if you do that, this narrative flips overnight — just like it did for Stafford.”

When the Moment Comes, the Conversation Will Flip — Quickly

In the NFL, legacy isn’t rewritten by talent alone. It’s rewritten by timing, structure, and opportunity.

Matthew Stafford proved that. He went from “can’t win the big one” to Super Bowl champion the moment he got the right supporting cast.

Jordan Love just showed he can deliver on the biggest stage. Four touchdowns. Zero interceptions. An 18-point lead handed to his defense.

The question isn’t whether Love is good enough. He is.

The question is whether the Packers will give him what he needs to finish the job.

Because according to Troy Aikman, the quarterback has already done his part.

Now it’s the organization’s turn.

Packers fans — do you agree with Troy Aikman? Is Jordan Love being unfairly blamed? Drop your take below!