There’s something else working against Malik Willis in Packers debut

Finding a franchise quarterback is no easy task. In the NFC North, the Chicago Bears have spent decades trying — and failing — to find an elite passer to lead their offense.

The Green Bay Packers, however, have a rich and storied history of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Bart Starr helped guide the team to victories in the first two Super Bowls. Brett Favre, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, was a 16-year starter for Green Bay from 1992 to 2007. Aaron Rodgers, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, followed Favre with 15 seasons as the Packers starting quarterback from 2008 to 2022.

Green Bay is hoping quarterback Jordan Love, who is entering his second year as a starter, will develop into their third consecutive Hall of Fame quarterback. Expectations for Love were high after he nearly the Packers to the NFC Championship Game in his 2023 campaign, but those dreams were halted when the 25-year-old suffered a knee injury in the final seconds of the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Packers are planning to start backup quarterback Malik Willis until Love is able to return, but history suggests that the Packers may not see as much success as they hope. 

Packers recent history of backup QBs isn’t great

Green Bay has enjoyed tremendous success with their starting quarterbacks, but the results have been much more volatile when backup quarterbacks have been thrust into action due to injury.

Overall, Packers backup quarterbacks who filled in due to injuries or suspensions have finished with a 5-12-1 record since Rodgers became the starting quarterback in 2008, per JR Radcliffe of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

Rodgers also suffered a collarbone fracture during the 2013 season, which sent the Packers into a backup quarterback carousel. Green Bay started Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn for seven games, and they combined for a 2-4-1 record. 

In 2017, the Packers jumped out to a 4-1 record before Rodgers suffered a fractured collarbone. Second-string quarterback Brett Hundley only managed to win three of the nine games he started while Rodgers was out. Rodgers returned for Week 15, but Hundley started the last two games after Green Bay was eliminated from playoff contention. 

Although it wasn’t injury-related, Love stepped in for Rodgers in Week 9 of the 2021 season, when Rodgers was ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19. The Packers lost the game to the Kansas City Chiefs.

During the 2010 season, Matt Flynn started a game after Rodgers suffered a concussion in the previous game. Flynn nearly led the Packers to a victory over the New England Patriots but ultimately fell short.

The Packers will just have to hope that Willis finds more success than his second-string predecessors until Love can return to the field.