Few Green Bay Packers players were and continue to be as well-liked as wide receiver Donald Driver. Driver, known for his bright smile and choreographed dance celebrations, is the Packers’ all-time receiving yardage leader and a community staple due to his charitable endeavors.
Driver was also a member of the team that saw Green Bay choose a young Aaron Rodgers in 2005. He saw the fan backlash, the angry Favre, and the unpleasant aftermath of the Packers’ decision to release Favre following a 13-3 season in 2007.
He was, of course, a member of the 2008 Packers, who finished 6-10 with Rodgers as the starting quarterback for the first time. Driver was also a member of the 2010 squad that advanced from the NFL Playoffs to the Super Bowl.
In other words, Driver has been through what the current Packers squad is going through. The hardships, the concerns, the uncertainty about whether or not it was the proper decision to part ways with a potential Hall of Fame quarterback.
While many fans and experts are ready to move on from Jordan Love following a three-game slump, Driver has a different message for them to ponder.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Driver discussed the choice to move on from Rodgers to Love, as well as some of the recent criticism directed at the Packers’ new starting quarterback:
“At the end of the day, Green Bay Packers fans, we have been spoiled. We’ve had two Hall of Fame quarterbacks over the last 30 years. You can’t complain about that, right? And both of them turned out to be Hall of Famers and great players. But Jordan Love can be that, too.
“It’s gonna take him time. I think the Packers organization is willing to give him time. He sat three years behind Aaron. Aaron sat two or three years behind Brett. So, it’s a learning thing. It’s a process. Jordan Love has gotta have the talent around him to be successful. That’s what it’s gonna take.”
Driver’s opinion is similar to that of other former Packers and NFL players such as Kurt Warner, Gilbert Brown, and Kurt Benkert.
It’s hard to compare Love’s first year as a starter to Rodgers’ and Favre’s first years. Not only did they all occur during separate periods of football, but both Rodgers and Favre benefited from seasoned wide receivers and several Pro Bowl offensive linemen blocking for them in Year One.
After Week One, Love and the Packers lost David Bakhtiari. Aside from Zach Tom, the remainder of the offensive line has struggled, including Elgton Jenkins. While pass protection has not been a huge issue for most of the season, run blocking has been atrocious.
As everyone is well aware, the Packers have no seasoned wide receivers other than Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure, whom they selected last year. And none of them are what one would call “established.” Favre had Sterling Sharpe while Rodgers had Driver and Greg Jennings.
Driver’s argument is that Packers supporters must be patient and wait for talent to emerge around Love, or for the organization to be able to afford excellent free agents.
