Jordan Love Worth The Three Year Wait

Well, what a great privilege it was to catch up with Jordan Love, the quarterback for the

Green Bay Packers on the back of his extraordinary first up season in the chair as a Green Bay

quarterback and one of the most exciting athletes for me in US sport at the moment.

Found him to be an incredibly humble, respectful and brilliant young man.

You hear how Jordan's dream collaboration would be with his hero LeBron James.

Side note, he's wearing a Kobe Bryant t-shirt in this interview at the time and he references

that he's never met LeBron James, but I'm sure that is only a matter of time and you'd

love to see those two brilliant athletes spending some time together in the future.

He talks openly about the balance of taking over from Aaron Rodgers, the legendary future

Hall of Famer at Green Bay, the lessons that he learned from being his understudy and that

the two of them still have a great friendship and stay in touch to this day, even though

they're on opposing teams.

He also talks a lot about leaning on his more experienced teammates and empowering them

to be great leaders is a real part of the way he leads his team.

Jordan also shares a tragic story of the passing of his father, a respected police sergeant,

and how his dad is still the person who inspires him the most to this day.

We are really privileged and grateful to have Jordan Love as part of our Leader Connect

program.

Jordan's in a world captains group with Martin Odegaard from Arsenal, Pat Cummings,

from the Australian cricket team, Joe Ingle, Brianna Stewart, some of the great leaders

in sport around the globe get together in these forums.

We call a Leader Connect.

You don't have to be Jordan Love to be part of a Leader Connect.

We'd love to collaborate with you.

Head to elitercollective.com.

Huge thanks to the team at Tempur, Australia and New Zealand for their great support of

bringing conversations like this to the table.

It's a mattress like no other.

Sleep is such an important success clue we see from the leaders that we speak to.

So huge thanks as always to the team at Tempur.

Jordan Love was picked 26 in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Green Bay Packers.

The Green Bay Packers have a unique place in American sporting landscape with their

fans known as some of the most passionate in world sport.

Jordan Love at just 25 years of age has just completed a remarkable first season as the

starting quarterback, throwing 37 touchdown passes and leading his team to a playoff win

over the Dallas Cowboys.

Jordan Love is without question one of the most exciting and talented athletes in US

sports today.

Congratulations on an incredible season, Jordan.

It's great to see you.

Thank you.

Thank you for that intro as well.

It's great to be here with you.

You've had a bit of time to reflect postseason.

You must be really proud of your first year in the main chair.

Yes, I am.

Definitely had a good amount of time to reflect after the season just on how it went throughout

the course of the season.

Once you're in the season, you get so wrapped up in week to week and it's harder to look

at the whole.

So just being able to reflect on that and it was definitely a very fun season.

Obviously, my first year starting, a lot of lessons learned and a lot of things to improve

on going forward, but it was definitely a very fun season.

So the quarterback role in American football to me is just about the most high pressure

role in world sport.

You've got 140 kilos, 300 pound defensive lineman trying to kill you effectively every

time you've got ball in hand.

And you've got this incredibly calm.

You've got some relaxed demeanor in those moments.

How do you handle that sort of pressure?

I believe that it's part of the territory.

It's part of what I signed up for.

I've been playing football for so many years, almost my whole life.

I started playing tackle in fifth grade.

So it's something that it definitely takes time getting used to, but my comfort level

has grown so much over the years and that comes with practice and just getting banged

on and all the reps.

But obviously, yes, it is a very stressful position playing quarterback.

Like you said, 300 pound guys all trying to come at you and tackle you and get the ball

in your hands while you're trying to make all these decisions so quickly and put the

ball right where you need to and be able to read the field of what the DBs and linebacker

and the whole defense is doing.

So it is a very stressful position.

But at the same time, you know, it's one of those things that that's just what I do and

that's what I've been doing for so long that you just, it's second nature almost and you

get comfortable, like I said, over the years doing things.

You look comfortable in everything you do.

And I want to reference the sort of Packers history, the two quarterbacks prior to you

at Green Bay are all-time greats of the game.

Bet Favre is a Super Bowl winning three-time MVP, he's a Hall of Famer.

And Aaron Rodgers, who you replaced, also a Super Bowl winner, a four-time MVP.

I mean, do you feel that level of expectations from Packer fans that Jordan loves?

Steps up and they're used to a lot of success?

Definitely.

Especially from the fan base, you know, Packer fans.

I see it all the time.

People are saying we've been spoiled with really, really high-level quarterback play

over the years with Brett, obviously with Aaron.

So, you know, being able to be the next quarterback after Aaron is definitely a blessing,

something I'm very grateful for.

But there's definitely an added level of pressure that comes with it, just knowing,

who's been there before you and how much success they've had and just the level of play

they've played at.

So it's pressure, but it's also, you know, I've been able to sit behind Aaron for three

years and learn so much and see how he handles his business and how he's able to play so

well.

And obviously, he was able to learn from Brett.

So it's a lot of history and developing those quarterbacks and lessons, I feel like, that

have been passed down to, you know, help put me in the best position possible.

But there's definitely a certain level that you want to be able to play at to be, you

know, considered a Packer quarterback and then fall in line of those great guys right

there.

And Jordan, you mentioned sitting for three years behind Aaron Rodgers.

It's a unique place, isn't it?

Because he's your teammate.

I'm assuming you have a friendship, but he's also your rival.

And for you to succeed, you really want to take Aaron Rodgers' spot on the team.

Tell us about your friendship with Aaron.

How did that relationship play out?

Yeah, it's great.

It's great.

You know, when I...

When I first got drafted there, knowing Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback of the Packers

and has been for so long, and he's a legend.

So, you know, I knew right away that I was not going to be starting, and I knew I wasn't

going to be taking Aaron Rodgers' job, you know?

That's just a given.

You know, you've watched this guy play my whole life.

So, it was an honor, honestly, just to be able to be in the room with him and learn.

But it's one of those things I'm like, yeah.

And then you watch him in practice every day, you're like, yeah, I'm not bad to be starting

over this guy.

But at the same time, it's all motivation.

You know, it motivates me just to be able to see someone play at such a high level and

do the things he's able to do on a daily basis.

It motivated me to get better and to try new things and to, you know, improve my game and

try some of the things that I saw him doing.

But yeah, I mean, over the three years, we definitely developed a pretty good relationship.

And, you know, he was a guy that I was able to ask so many questions to and just see him

work and, you know, be able to pick his brain.

Same room as him was awesome.

It's something I'm very grateful for.

And, you know, even going into this year, me taking over this role, he's still been able

to keep in contact with me.

So, that's been very cool and something I'll definitely, you know, be grateful for for

my whole life and just embrace the opportunity to be around him and be his backup was special.

And he's been in touch, Jordan.

He's happy to still communicate.

He's obviously playing at a rival team, but you still stay in touch?

Yes, we do.

You know, we talk to each other throughout the year.

Throughout the course of the season, which is something that was, you know, pretty special

and pretty cool for me just to be able to, you know, hear from him and, you know, before

a game, after a game, have him give me some input and just some cool messages.

And then, you know, I was able to reach out to him throughout the season, too.

Obviously, he dealt with his injury first game of the season, which took him out for

the whole season, which was very tough.

But, yeah, I was able to reach out and just try and, you know, say I'm here for him and

that sort of thing.

But, yeah, it was cool to have that relationship, you know?

Jordan, we've been really privileged to have you join our Leader Connect community

where we love facilitating these groups of five or six people around the globe.

It was a business started with one of my oldest friends, a guy called Matt Wadowicz, who hosts

the group that you're in.

And can I share some of the group, some of the great legends of sport around the globe?

Martin Odegaard's the captain of the Arsenal team, doing great things.

Pat Cummings is a legend of Australian cricket and the captain.

Brianna Stewart is the captain of the U.S. basketball team.

Arguably the best player in U.S. basketball on the female side.

Joe Ingalls is a legend of Australian basketball and captain of the Australian basketball team

as well.

And Jordan Love, can you tell us about spending some time reflecting with these guys?

You get together on a monthly basis.

What's that meant to you?

Yeah, that's been awesome.

You know, that was something that, you know, I was approached by my head coach last off

season because he was a part of a group with some coaches.

And, you know, something that he said.

It helped him a lot.

And he thought it was pretty cool.

You know, he just put on my ear that that would be something that I should be interested

in doing and see what it's all about and was able to talk to Matt.

And, yeah, I got hooked up with that.

And honestly, coming into it, didn't know what to expect.

Didn't know how it would go.

You know, I didn't know what these conversations would be like, how it would be bringing people

from other sports.

And then obviously we started putting the group together and I was hearing some of the

names and just being able to get together with some of the best athletes in the world

in different sports.

It was pretty cool because, you know, in our world of football, I think we can get

so wrapped up in having different mentors that have played the same sport as us.

And, you know, you don't get to do a whole lot of talking to people in other sports,

whether unless it's, you know, training in the offseason, doing things like that.

So I think it was really cool.

And I was able to learn a lot about these guys and, you know, a little bit about their

personality, being in the classes with them and just share, you know, share inside and

techniques we use and things we might be struggling with.

And.

And I think it was really cool for me just to be able to see the personality of, you

know, these different leaders in different sports.

And, you know, I think throughout it, it gave me a lot of confidence in myself and definitely

improved my leadership skills.

So it was something I'm very grateful for.

And I thought it was very cool.

Jordan, we see athletes in different spaces.

As you said, cricket's a pretty foreign game to most people in the US, but they're dealing

with a billion fans in India and pressure at the same level.

And, you know, if you're the captain of Arsenal, there's an expectation you succeed and, and

Brandon Stewart's carving an amazing path.

Have you found there's been little sort of similarities in the way you guys have to deal

with certain things?

Can you give an example of something maybe you've applied to, to your world?

There were so many similarities that I thought that was the coolest part because, you know,

you, you hear about different sports and things like that.

And obviously just the teams are structured in different ways and different sports and

football.

I think, you know, we have the, one of the bigger teams.

Compared to these other sports, but yeah, like you said, like I didn't know about a lot about

cricket and then talking to these guys and hearing how many fans are, they have like in that

following and like you said, how much pressure they have.

And that's where it really, you know, all correlates is we're all playing these high level

sports where, you know, you got to, it's all performance based.

You have to show up every day.

You know, we're all professional athletes and you've got to be your best every day.

And you're getting evaluated on your performance.

Like we.

Talk about in these courses is another added step of that leadership level and, you know,

trying to be the best for your teammates and, you know, lead your team and build these

cultures and things like that.

But there were so many similarities that we're able to talk about and see in terms of just

talking to your teammates, you know, the struggles that teams go through and trying to

bring your whole team together as a whole.

And, you know, when things might not be going well through a season, you know, you have a

couple of bad losses and trying to keep everybody together, focus on, you know, the common goal

that we're all trying to obtain.

And then obviously when things are going well, trying to find ways to still improve and not just

get comfortable with a little bit of success.

But there were so many correlations that we would talk about that I can't pinpoint one right now,

but it was like every day we would come in and talk and somebody would say something that they're

going through and I'm like, wow, this is the same thing we're going through.

Maybe it might be a little bit different, but it's so similar.

So there were just so many.

Yeah, Jordan, we love that shared learning opportunity with people that take the time out to reflect.

And obviously you guys have got the sporting synergy in common, but we also see people from

different backgrounds join these groups, whether they be conducting an orchestra or running a small

business or a sports legend like Jordan Love.

You mentioned your coach, Matt LaFleur, was the one that introduced you into the Elite Connect world.

He said this about you, Jordan, he said, Jordan Love is such a great person, first and foremost.

I think of all the guys in the locker room.

They love him.

I can tell you the coaches love him.

It's just his approach.

He's so consistent in terms of what he does on a daily basis.

They're high praise, isn't it, from your leader and your coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Tell us about your relationship with Matt LaFleur.

Yeah, that is very high praise right there.

I appreciate hearing that.

But no, Matt is awesome.

You know, he's the coach that drafted me to the Packers and, you know, really wanted me throughout that whole

draft process.

So in my four years of being there, our relationship has grown so much.

But obviously, he's such a huge reason why I'm here and with the Green Bay Packers.

So I've always appreciated him for that.

But, you know, he's Matt is obviously the head coach of our team, but he's a he's a quarterback in his

background playing football.

So he's always in that quarterback room with us when we're doing all of our meetings and things like that.

So we get a definitely more of a relationship than I'd say.

Other players, because we're with them, you know, all the time in our meetings and things like that.

So, you know, it's awesome.

Our relationship is built so much just in terms of football and then obviously off the field.

But he's a great leader, you know, very smart coach, does things very well, I think, scheme wise on offense and things we do.

But he's awesome.

I can't say enough good things about him, obviously, you know, his record and things like that for his head coaching

start.

He's been.

It's been awesome.

He's a very young coach, too.

So I think he has so much, you know, a very, very bright future ahead of him.

And, you know, we're all trying to do very good things for him and be our best and get him that Super Bowl ring that he deserves to get.

I wouldn't doubt that that is something that's that's in the future.

Everyone's had challenging things to deal with in their life.

And you've had your challenges off the field as well as the pressure on the field.

And you're only 14 years of age when your dad.

Passed away.

And he was a much loved and respected police star sergeant.

I read you described him as the happiest dude in the world, always smiling and understand the story.

They changed his blood pressure medication.

I had a terrible effect on him and his mental health.

And it led to him taking his own life.

I can't imagine how hard as a 14 year old that would have been to go through.

How has that shaped you as a young 25 year old man now?

Yeah, that I mean, that shaped so much of my life.

You know, like.

Like you mentioned, you know, my dad was an awesome person, you know, a great role model.

You know, I looked up to him and so many other people did because, like you said, police sergeant, he did so many great things in our community as being a being a police officer.

And and I would always see, you know, articles of people talking about him that he helped and would just say how happy he was, always smiling.

You know, one of those guys that you you never would think he was having a bad day.

Just his attitude in life and how he carried himself.

And then, you know, I was raised in the church and he was a youth pastor and he did a lot of great things in our community with the youth, always trying to better everybody's lives and put them in a, you know, just help their situation, whatever it might be.

So very inspired by him.

But obviously, like I said, it was a very tragic incident, losing him.

And, you know, it was one of the hardest days of my life, you know, finding that information out.

You know, knowing that my life would be different here on out and, you know, it would never be the same.

So I think going through that and with me and my family and just that kind of level of adversity that we we face and I face at a young age, you know, losing the only other man in my house was was very tough.

But, you know, I think just in terms of handling adversity in life, it's made other things a lot easier because I feel like I've gone through something that was very, very tough to deal with.

Very hard.

And, you know, I think it's helped me get over to make it through my family's that make it through and we've been better since then and, you know, seen better days.

But, you know, I think in terms of sports, it's helped me realize that, you know, everything's going to going to pass.

You know, nothing's going to be bad forever, last forever.

You know, everyone's going to go through some adversity, but it's how you, you know, move on.

Life's going to keep going on, you know, whether you want to be there or not.

And, you know, it's all about how you what your attitude is.

And how you carry yourself and move on from things.

But everyone's going to get hit with adversity at some point.

It's all about how you're able to overcome that and move forward and, you know, try and make the most out of any situation.

And but, yeah, like I said, that was definitely the hardest thing I've gone through in my life, me and my family.

But, yeah, it's definitely it's helped shape me to the man I am today.

And, you know, I have a lot of things that I still look up to in him and try and be the best person because of that.

Because I knew just how good of a person he was, how good of a man he was.

Definitely strive to, you know, be that every day.

And, Jordan, I understand he was an incredible believer in your athletic ability that he would tell.

Is it true you tell people my son's going to be a superstar quarterback from the youngest possible age?

Is that correct?

Oh, yeah, it is.

But, yeah, I mean, my dad is the one who, you know, put a ball in my hand at a young age.

You know, I remember, you know, growing up, he was the one we'd be outside.

Shooting, shooting hoops in the front yard, throwing a football around.

He's the one who taught me how to throw, taught me how to shoot, you know, ride a bike, just do anything athletic.

He was the one teaching me how to do and always pushing me to to be better and try different sports as a young kid.

And, you know, he never really, you know, forced me to do anything.

It was always, you know, whatever I like to do.

And but he pushed me out of my comfort zone, I feel, to try new things.

And, you know, when I first started playing football, he'd have me doing every position, catching, running, playing running back,

quarterback. And, you know, I think all those little lessons and things we did as a kid, you know,

shaped me into becoming a good athlete and, you know, being able to play different sports.

And like I said, just be a well-versed athlete.

But he was always my biggest motivator as well.

You know, telling people that I was going to be a star one day and give me some confidence, even when, you know, I might not have believed it.

So, you know, I'm very grateful for that.

But he's definitely the one who's got me on my athletic journey.

And Jordan, at 25 years of age.

You don't have your level of success without some serious, consistent habits and routines and things that you do that allow you to be the athlete that you are.

And you hear from your coach about how consistent you are and your teammates, your relationships are incredible.

Can you share with us some of the things that you do that help you to be the best you can be?

Well, in terms of consistency, I think, you know, in my time that I was behind Aaron, that was the biggest lesson I feel like I was able to see, you know, from him was just how he showed up to the building.

Every day, how he was in meetings every day, how he was on the practice field every day.

And just his approach, it was very consistent.

He was the same person every day.

And I said, you know, that's the coolest thing I was able to see coming from college, obviously, a young 21 year old kid still.

So I was young and thinking that, you know, I had it all figured out.

But to be able to see that was cool.

It's something that I strive to model my game after and just be, you know, the most consistent person I could every day.

You know, be the story we all say.

Be the same person every day.

You know, don't try and change anything up.

But in terms of, you know, how I watch film every day, how I am in meetings, the questions I ask every day, how I get my mind right in terms of how much film I watch outside of the facility when I'm on my own.

What I do to take care of my body throughout the week in terms of PT and extra stuff I do.

And then obviously the things I do in practice every day, trying to be the same person, you know, grow from little mistakes.

But it's always trying to grow.

And then in the offseason, you know, how I train in the offseason when I start my workouts and just the things I'm doing on a daily basis, trying to be as consistent as possible and, you know, pick up where I might lack.

But I think consistency is the key and one of those big lessons that I was able to learn early in my career that, you know, I'm still trying to work on these consistent habits in terms of, you know, nutrition and things that's going to take my game to the next level.

But, you know, it's not easy, but it's something that I think you learn.

You know, have that constant thought of it, of trying to be consistent and striving to be as consistent as a person as possible.

And Jordan, this is a different offseason for you on the back of the extraordinary year that you've had, a breakout season.

Has life changed?

Everyone wants a piece of Jordan Love now and you're at the Super Bowl and there's some enormous opportunities coming your way.

Tell us about life now after the year you've had.

Life has definitely changed for sure.

You know, you go from being a backup in the NFL.

Where you're not as recognized and then now you're a starter.

So, you know, my face has been on TV a little bit more.

So more people are recognizing me, you know, around everywhere I'm going now.

So that's changed a lot.

So it's something I got to, you know, get used to.

But, yeah, and then obviously there's more opportunities with things like that.

Super Bowl opportunity, that was very cool.

Be able to go down there and do some cool marketing opportunities and partner with some pretty cool brands to do stuff down there.

But, yeah.

Just more opportunities, I feel like, and more people recognizing me, which is, you know, something that you got to, you know,

you don't get a playbook on how to navigate fans and people that, you know, want to take pictures and things like that.

So that part of my life has changed.

But it's in the better.

I feel like it's all part of the territory that comes with, you know, being an NFL quarterback.

And, you know, that's something you dream of your whole life to make it to the NFL and be the star that you see on TV.

And then now I'm here and it's like, OK, now I'm the person that kids are looking up to and wanting to be like.

And so it's definitely a very cool place to be in life.

And, you know, I always try to remind myself that it's a blessing and I got to be grateful for it because it's something that I dreamed of as a kid.

And, you know, it's easy, I feel like, to get annoyed sometimes, you know, when people are hounding you and things like that.

But at the same time, you know, I was that kid that, you know, it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet.

Some of the stars that I, you know, grew up idolizing.

So it's a grateful opportunity for me.

And Patty Mahomes wins his third Super Bowl as a quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs, a player that you've been compared to a lot in your style and your athleticism.

Is that a comparison you think about watching the Super Bowl again this year?

It's not.

I don't think about it too much.

I try not to compare myself to other players.

You know, we all talk about that because everyone at the end of the day is their own player and do things a little bit differently.

But...

Yeah, Patrick Mahomes is a phenomenal player.

Someone I've obviously got a lot of respect for and looked up to.

And just the way he plays the position and obviously the amount of success he's had so early in his career, winning another Super Bowl.

It feels like he's been there every year winning it.

He's an awesome player.

And, yeah, someone I, you know, coming out of the draft, I was a person that, you know, I got compared to a lot in terms of play style and things like that.

But, you know, it's hard.

It's so hard to compare, I feel like, players in the NFL because everyone's so unique and has their own play style.

And, you know, obviously people put up different stats and different numbers and are at different points in their career.

So it's hard to do that.

But I think the way he plays the position, you know, the creativity he has at the quarterback position is awesome.

The different arm angles and throws and no-look passes and just the crazy cool plays that he makes is something that, you know,

I look up to it and try.

And I try and add to my game and model it after.

But I think that is, you know, part of my game is something that obviously he's showcased a lot.

But it's different.

You know, I feel like not everybody has some of the playmaking ability that he has.

And, you know, I do feel like I have some of that playmaking ability.

So there are comparisons, things like that.

But I try not to get into that comparison world and things like that.

Being Jordan Love is pretty good.

I think you're treading your own path pretty well.

We get this great access across the globe.

We're seeing what?

Leaders do in different circumstances.

And as you've experienced in your own Elite Connect group, and we use the term a bit, success leaves clues.

And we think there's some patterns around great leadership.

So I want to ask you a handful of questions to finish around different dimensions of great leadership, starting with this idea of self-leadership,

that it's very hard for you to lead a team like you do without a sense of self and who you are as a leader yourself.

What does self-leadership mean to you?

That means a lot.

I mean, I feel like just your confidence and how you're able to do that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Being able to handle yourself is huge to be a leader.

You've got to be able to be confident in who you are as a player, to be able to talk to others and ask others to do certain things and demand that from others.

And then I think just the way you handle yourself, you can't be saying one thing and doing the other.

You've got to own what you do, your actions.

And if you're going to ask other people to do certain things, you've got to be willing to do it yourself.

So I believe everything starts with yourself and the approach to the game.

And things like that.

But leadership, I think, is something that you have to be very confident in, your own ability on the field, and then obviously the way you're able to communicate with your teammates, with your coaches, to try and get the most out of them.

Jordan, we see people with success like you having a really conscious of having a positive impact on others in their environment on a daily basis.

And they think about, what am I doing to affect others in a positive way?

How have you gone about that impact on others in your world?

Yeah.

I think that is very huge.

Being playing the position I play at quarterback, I'm impacted by, obviously, the play of others as well.

I can't do it all by myself.

It takes everybody on the football team, starting with the O-line, being able to give me enough time to block, the receivers being able to make spectacular catches when you're able to put the ball up for them, tight ends, and running back.

So I always am a big believer in positive reinforcement.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I try to be as positive as possible.

I'm somebody who always, when somebody makes a good play, does something really well, I'm trying to be the guy to bring them up and say, hey, that was awesome, that was really cool.

When a guy messes up, I try and be the guy to be like, hey, make the next play, and not harp on the negatives and things like that, just because I feel like that's what I like to hear.

I like people to be positive with me.

Yeah.

I like to give out the negativity.

Because I feel like when you focus on negative things, that's all your brain is focused on is the negative, the negative, the negative.

And it's hard to find the good plays in the midst of a couple bad plays.

So I try and always be positive and uplift guys and never focus on the negatives, and even just find the beauty in the small things, even when we have a loss, just try and find a couple of the positive plays.

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I just believe when you focus on positive things, positive things will end up happening in the future.

It's a good way to live your life, Jordan.

And that's what you hear from the locker room is that everyone loves being around Jordan Love

because there is that energy that flows from you in a positive way.

It's a consistent message you hear when you read about the work that you're doing.

Creating and sharing a vision, obviously it's pretty clear what the Green Bay Packers are

trying to achieve, but you come in with your own vision of how to achieve that as the quarterback

and the key playmaker. How do you go about sharing that with your teammates in a clear way?

That's an area that I've definitely grown in my leadership style because I've definitely been

more of a quiet, reserved person, someone who worked really hard, but I was never that rah-rah,

always talking to guys, things like that. So that's an area that I've definitely improved on

and tried to focus on. We all come into the season with individual goals and things everyone's

trying to achieve. Obviously, the goal of a team sport is to be able to bring everybody together

and get all those heading in a collective direction to get better and win as many games

as possible. Obviously, get to the goal of winning a Super Bowl. I don't think it's very hard to get

guys moving in the right direction, but I think it's just little reminders of the positive

reinforcement. Hey, this is what we're doing. We're doing it really well. This is what we

continue to do.

We continue to build on. I think for our team, we had a lot of new pieces this year,

a lot of rookies that were playing big roles for us, which was different than the teams I've been

on in the past. There was a lot of just question marks around our team and what we were going to

be about this year. Me being a guy that obviously hasn't played, hasn't started, but I've been on

the teams for the past three years, been in the background, been able to see just the different

leadership styles.

The guys that I've brought to the table and how they've impacted the team has been awesome. I was

trying to evolve my leadership style and take some of that good stuff that I've seen over the years

and bring that to the table and just get everybody on the same page that even though we're a young

team, we've got some really good players. Obviously, the media hype around our season was

we were going to be this rebuild team that wasn't going to be any good, but just getting guys to

believe that we're good. Obviously, we got off to a slower start than we would have wanted, but we're

just keeping guys in that right mindset to believe that we're still a good team. We just have to find

those ways to win, limit the mistakes, but just become a more consistent team in our execution, but

we're right there. I've been able to see my first year in the NFL. We were one of the best teams in

the league. We were the number one seed going into the playoffs and went to the NFC Championship game

and obviously lost it, but I was able to see some really good players and a really good team and what

it looked like.

Trying to bring that to the table and continue to show guys that this is what really good teams do,

this is how they practice. Obviously, there's other guys on our team, other leaders that have

been there too that helped me out in that, but just trying to get everybody on the same page.

John, we see curiosity is a common word around people have great success and through being

curious, that's how they continue to learn and grow. Does that resonate with you, the curiosity

edge?

Curiosity factor is what got me even in the

elite group.

To be able to be around these other great athletes and leaders and learn so much. The big thing is

never thinking you've got it all figured out. Always being open to grow and change how you do

things and your approach to things and being able to see other people do things and take bits and

pieces of what you like, what you don't like, and being able to add that to your game, to your

leadership style, to who you are as a person. I always think it's going to give you that edge that

you're looking for.

It's never thinking you have it all figured out. Always trying to find ways to get better,

improve yourself. That's what helps me. I've seen it help other people. Curiosity factor is a big

part for sure.

You're saying that that was really what sparked your interest in connecting with the elite group

and others around the world, that curiosity to see how other people do it?

Definitely. When I heard it from Matt, he was saying how good of a program he thought it was.

And like I said, I had so many questions on what it would be like, obviously not even knowing, you know, I was so focused on going into my first year as a starter and just trying to focus on football.

I was a little hesitant to even do it because I was like, I want to try and just focus on this.

And but I think that curiosity like, OK, well, well, if this if Matt thinks it's something that's pretty cool and has helped him, you know, and there's other great professional athletes that are doing it.

Like, let me let me try this out and see if it's something that will help me.

And, you know, something that I'm glad I did because it did help me.

And just being curious on how other people in these other other sport worlds are able to lead.

And like I said, they have so many we have different team styles.

You know, we have a team of 70 people.

So it's a little bit different than when you talk to an NBA player who's on a team of 15 ish people.

You know how you're able to talk to your teammates and just get everybody on the same page.

So.

I think that curiosity is definitely what sparked me to get into it and to stick with it.

And Jordan, communicating with clarity is a dimension of leadership we see.

And that's crucial to your world, isn't it?

How you get your message across in real time.

Have you gone about communicating with clarity?

That's that's an area as well that, you know, I've definitely had to improve on.

I feel like I've struggled with being able to communicate to others.

But, you know, over the course of years and obviously just this year being in the group.

One of the cool things I was able to learn is, you know, I was I was a little always a little nervous on what to say and felt like I might be saying the wrong thing and didn't want to sound stupid or dumb in front of, you know, your teammates and have them be like, what is this guy talking about?

You know, so just being able to hear, you know, our group and the way they put it was just talk to your teammates like you're talking to yourself.

Tell them exactly what you would tell yourself and what you're going over in your mind, because we're all pretty much in the same position.

We're probably all thinking the same thing during practice and games.

You know, if it's a bad practice, we're probably all right there.

Like, man, this is this is a rough practice for us.

Or if it was a great practice, like, OK, well, what are the little things we can work on and improve on?

That's one thing I learned.

Just say what I might be thinking, how I'm feeling and don't, you know, try to put added pressure on myself to always be trying to say, you know, the the right thing or the perfect thing, because, you know, we're all in the same position.

We're all probably thinking the same thing.

And I think a lot of it is just, you know, trying not to be perfect.

You know, we're all human.

Things might not come off the way you think about it or intend in your head or might offend somebody when you say something.

But at the end of the day, being a leader, you got to be that person that says the hard things that, you know, some people might not be wanting to hear, that you yourself might not be wanting to hear.

But, you know, something that you got to be honest with yourself and honest to others.

So that's an area of my leadership that I've improved.

I'm going to continue to try and improve on.

Definitely an area I can grow in is just, you know, talk in front of others, be confident in what I'm saying.

But I think the coolest thing I learned from the class was just hearing guys talk about, yeah, everyone's going through the same thing.

Like, just just be honest and say what you feel.

No one's going to judge you when I'm sitting there.

You know, I've been a guy that's, you know, I'm easy to to be led by others.

I like being able to hear other leaders on our team talk.

And whenever I feel guys are speaking from the heart, it always resonates with me because, like I said, I'm going through the same situation that they are, the same battle, seeing the same things they are.

So it's not like they're saying this magical speech or.

Something that no one's ever said before.

They're just speaking real, speaking the facts and speaking from the heart and being open and honest.

And that's something that I've always thought was pretty cool.

And I'm going to, like I said, continue to model my leadership and grow that going forward.

It's a really powerful message to hear.

You know, Jordan Love is, you know, the top of his game.

You still there's some nervousness about how you express yourself in front of your teammates.

And I know a lot of it.

We all feel that, don't we?

Whether it's with our friends or whatever role we're in.

It's a it's a powerful thing.

Thing for you to share.

How important is collaboration been for you and your success, Jordan?

Very important.

Being on a team with so many different players and you have so many different opinions and the way people handle things are so different.

So being able to collaborate with your teammates and be, you know, we have different leadership groups that we have on our team.

And, you know, you have guys from every other position that might be a leader in that room that come together.

It's huge because, you know, not everyone can not one person can do it on their own.

Not one person has all the answers.

So you got to be able to collaborate with your teammates and come together.

And, you know, obviously playing a team sport collaboration on the field is a very important part to being successful.

So obviously in the leadership aspect and how we go about day to day stuff and handle problems we might have on the team or adversity we might have as a team and being able to get over those humps are huge.

You got to be able to lean on others.

And I think that's been something that I also learned throughout the group was.

You know, as a leader, you don't always have to be the one to say something.

That's something I learned as well.

You know, lean on your other teammates, your other leaders to, you know, maybe I've said something a couple of times and I don't want to be the guy saying the same thing.

Sound like a broken record over and over again.

You know, lean on your teammates to to step in and say something and, you know, have a day to lead, lean on another player to have a day to lead.

And, you know, I think at the end of the day, it brings everybody together more.

It elevates other players in better leadership roles.

So that's another important lesson I learned is that collaboration part.

And to lean on your teammates and coaches and things like that.

It's a great shift that we're seeing, isn't it?

In the past, probably the quarterback had to be the person every single time to say everything at every team meeting and run the whole program every day.

And that's tiring, isn't it?

And you've got all these great resources around you that you can tap into.

And it sounds like you're doing that beautifully.

A final two questions, Jordan.

I love asking these two questions of different people.

Who's been the greatest leader in your life?

The greatest leader in my life?

Hmm.

Great question.

I mean, I think for me, as I said before, my dad just growing up, you know, being able to see the way he handled business and carried himself as a person was awesome to see and has shaped the way I try to live my life and do certain things.

But then also my mom, you know, when when we went through that adversity, you know, my mom was our rock.

She was one who got us through it and was the one that was strong for us when, you know,

we were all going through the same adversity, her just as much as us losing her husband and her partner.

So her being that rock and being that strong person for us to get through has shaped, you know, how like I said, how I handle adversity.

So both my parents for sure.

And then football world, I mean, coaches I've had along the way.

My high school football coach was a very important person in my life in terms of, you know, giving me confidence and gave me an opportunity.

And he's really one of the reasons why I'm here.

And I felt a day and just the way he's able to, you know, bring a bunch of high school kids together, you know, have us going towards all one common goal.

And, you know, he got our team a lot better in a course of a couple of months when, you know, obviously you probably don't know, but he got there.

I think my freshman or sophomore year, he got to our school and was able to turn our program around and get it to one of the best programs in the whole state of California.

So he's.

Very successful.

What's his name, Jordan?

Brian Nixon, because he actually just retired this year from Liberty, but very successful coach has put a lot of great athletes to the next level.

But someone that he's always stayed in touch and always been someone who I can, you know, fall back on and ask questions to and, you know, just be there to support me through it all.

I'm sure he'd be incredibly proud to hear you say that.

I love asking that.

And obviously, you know, to have your, your mom and your dad have that start in life.

What a gift that is.

And then those people on the way can change your life.

Can you a coach like that when you're maybe working things out?

And so nice to hear that shout out for coach Nixon final, where we're a bit obsessed with collaboration in the work we do at a leader and collaborating with unbelievable people like Jordan love and the work you do.

Is there someone you thought in any of your interests in life playing NFL is right at the top of the tree, but someone you thought I'd love to collaborate with them on something, or is there any person that springs to mind?

Oh, man.

LeBron James.

That's, you know, that's growing up.

That's my favorite athlete.

You know, someone that I've just watched my whole life and been enamored with, you know, the athlete he is, how he carries himself, obviously outside of basketball, you know, the kind of leader he is, but, and obviously just, you know, how good of a player he is on the court.

But that's, that's my favorite player of all time.

And obviously I'm wearing the Kobe shirt, but LeBron, that's, that's my guy.

So I, you know.

Going forward, I'd be someone who I'd love to, you know, collaborate with and be able to pick his brain and, you know, be around and just ask questions too, because he's definitely been a role model in my life and someone I've definitely looked up to.

Have you met him?

I have not, no.

It seems like only a matter of.

Looking forward to the day I do though, you know.

Well, there's no doubt he'll be listening to this, Jordan, and I'm sure he'd be equally thrilled.

And I love it, isn't it?

When someone has had a 20-year professional career and you're starting.

Out at 25 to see that role model is, is remarkable.

It'd be a nice conversation.

I'd love to sit in on Jordan Love and LeBron getting together.

I'm sure that'll happen in the future.

Thanks for your time.

I know there's an enormous amount of demands on your time.

We're really privileged to share the Elite Connect world with you.

We followed you with great interest.

Congratulations again.

I'm sure it's just the start of an amazing time coming up and been really nice to catch up with you today.

Thanks again.

Sir, thank you, Luke.

Thanks for having me on the podcast.

It was awesome.

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for listening to another episode of the Empowering Leaders Podcast.

Huge thanks, as always, to our great friends at Temper, and we encourage you to check out our Elite Connect program.

New episodes are out every Wednesday morning at 6 a.m.