Packers quarterback Jordan Love returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering an MCL sprain in Green Bay‘s season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
His status for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans remains unclear, but his return is a positive sign after an injury that was initially expected to sideline him for several weeks.
Love was seen at Wednesday’s practice running non-contact drills with backs and receivers. He wore a sleeve on his injured left knee.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said after practice that Love was “limited.”
“It’s always great to have your quarterback out there, but we’ll see how he progresses throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said.
Love sustained the injury on Green Bay’s last possession against the Eagles in a game that was played in Brazil on Sept. 6. Backup quarterback Malik Willis replaced him for the last two plays of the game then started last week’s 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Love’s timeline to return was initially reported as 3-6 weeks. LaFleur declined to rule Love out early last week ahead of Sunday’s Colts game. The Packers eventually downgraded Love’s status to doubtful on Saturday before the game after he didn’t practice all week, and Willis got the start against the Colts.
Love’s return to practice Wednesday appears to put him ahead of the 3-6 week timeline — or at least on the shorter end of it. A return on Sunday against the Titans would mark two weeks since he suffered the injury.
Love is coming off his first season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback and showed significant signs of progress late in the season, sparking hopes of a breakout in 2024. He signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension in the offseason. The Packers are off to a 1-1 start after losing to the Eagles and beating the Colts.