Malik Willis has had the noblest reaction yet to helping Jordan Love and the Packers

The Green Bay Packers got a lot out of it Malik Willis as Jordan Love’s backup this season, and it has that Tennessee Titans Maybe they regret letting him go (especially given the current state of their quarterback room). As if Tennessee needed to rub more salt into this particular wound, Willis has made it clear that he is not only a talented player but also a welcome addition to the locker room.

According to ProFootballTalkWillis was asked if his play this season was motivated at least in part by a desire to audition for a starting job in 2025. But he refused to take the bait: Willis instead delivered a terribly elegant answer, saying he’s less worried about what he can do for someone else and more about what he can do to help the Packers to help us win this season.

“We still have a lot of games left this season,” Willis told reporters. “We have a game this week against a really good opponent. I feel like we need to focus on him now, one day at a time.

That’s exactly what you want to hear from your backup quarterback, who has already excelled, having had to come off the bench to replace a quarterback multiple times this season hurt love. And Willis not only managed to hold the fort; he has developed well. The numbers speak for themselves:He is undefeated in two startsand he helped the Packers finish the job against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Love was sidelined with a groin injury. He was thrown for three touchdowns and also didn’t throw an interception.

After a performance like this, it was a fair question whether he let his mind wander to the idea of ​​being a Full-time starter in the NFL after he burns out with the Titans. But Willis didn’t take the opportunity to gloat about how well he played. That’s mainly because this week’s game is against the Detroit Lions is too big to miss. This is also because he could potentially start for the third time this season.

Love was practiced on Thursday, albeit on a limited basis. That’s a good sign and suggests he’s in the starting lineup, as both he and coach Matt LaFleur said it’s realistic Love could play on Sunday. But we’ve seen this injured dog, Love, for weeks, and if he suffers another setback, Willis will be brought in as a replacement again.

And he will have the opportunity to say the quiet part out loud without saying a word. Given the number of teams dealing with quarterback issues – including his former team – if Willis continues to show great moments this season, no matter how many times he has to come, where he plays next year will be done.

And wherever he ends up, teams aren’t just getting a talented quarterback who has been given the chance to develop. They would also get the ultimate leader.