Packers’ Jordan Love ‘Not Gonna Sugarcoat’ Continued Shoulder Injury
For the Packers, Week 12’s win over the Vikings was a convincing one, a 23-6 victory in which the Green Bay defense and run game appeared to give quarterback Jordan Love an afternoon off. And a good thing, because Love had suffered a separated shoulder–on his non-throwing side–the previous week against the Giants.
Ah, but perhaps there is more to it than that. Packers observers and online sleuths wondered, during last week’s game, whether there was more to the team’s newfound devotion to running and defense. Perhaps, the thinking went, the reduction in Packers passing was not the result of a happy accident, but rather part of a game plan in which the team was attempting to protect Love’s shoulder.
Packers Have Some Jordan Love Concerns
Worse yet, perhaps it was something the Packers were more worried about going into the key Week 13 Thanksgiving battle against the Lions, one that will have implications for the NFC North title, than they were letting on.
Love was just 14-for-21 passing on Sunday, the fewest attempts he has had here in 2025. After Packers practice on Tuesday, Love was asked extensively about his shoulder, to a point that he clearly wanted to change the subject.
“It’s one of those things where I am able to play through it. Obviously, any time take a hit or fall on it, you feel it but nothing that is holding me back or nothing I can’t play through,” Love said.
Other QBs Struggled With AC Injury
It was pointed out to Love that other top quarterbacks–Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz were named–have dealt with AC joint injuries to their non-throwing shoulders and have had to sit out because of them. Love pointed out the obvious: Injuries can be more or less severe each time they happen.
“It is an injury. I am not gonna sugarcoat it,” Love said. “But with those guys I am not sure what exactly their injuries are, I think every injury is a little bit different and how guys feel from it. So, it is something that, we have done the test, and kind of looked at it and examined it in the game. But it’s something we felt I could play through and go out there and continue to play through. So I did.”
Packers Trying to Protect Jordan Love Shoulder
It has not been Love’s finest stretch. Week 12 saw him put up 139 yards in passing for the Packers, a week after going for 174 yards against the Giants. Before that, it was only 176 yards against the Eagles on a national Monday night game.
Love said he is trying some tricks and methods he can use to protect the shoulder. But the injury is not going away in the near future.
“There are things you are able to do, and we’ll continue to do them,” Love said. “But I am not going to continue to get into detail and talk through it, but there are things we have done to help out and be able to play and hopefully help myself put the best foot forward. But at the end of the day, playing through things, there’s always chance of risking more injuries.”
Broncos Get Surprising Kicker News From Saints That Has Sean Payton Going Viral
The Denver Broncos just got a surprising bit of kicker news out of Sean Payton’s old building.
NFL insider Ari Meirov reported that the New Orleans Saints are moving on from kicker Blake Grupe after multiple misses this season, less than two years after trading Wil Lutz to Denver so Grupe could take over the job.
The twist has Broncos Country talking. Lutz just landed a three-year extension with the Broncos, while Grupe is out in New Orleans and the Saints are pivoting to Cade York — a sequence that quickly sent the “Sean Payton doesn’t miss” meme flying around social media.
The #Saints are releasing K Blake Grupe after he missed 2 FGs on Sunday and has missed 8 on the year.
New Orleans traded Wil Lutz to Denver in 2023 in order to make Grupe their kicker…
Lutz just got a 3-year extension with the Broncos… Grupe gets released in New Orleans. https://t.co/BqlPuBU6CB pic.twitter.com/mChpIEsPpD
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2025
Lutz’s recent extension serves as a stark contrast
In a twist that has Broncos Country smiling, Lutz is a secured, proven kicker in the NFL, while Grupe is out in New Orleans as the Saints pivot to former Browns pick Cade York.
It did not take long for Broncos Twitter to connect the dots. The account Denver Broncos 365 quote-posted Meirov’s report with a four-word summary of the whole saga: “Sean Payton doesn’t miss.”
The Saints Moved On From Wil Lutz, but the Broncos Didn’t
When Payton arrived in Denver, one of his first reunion moves was to bring in Lutz, who spent his first seven NFL seasons kicking for the Saints under Payton. New Orleans traded Lutz to the Broncos in 2023 specifically to clear the way for Grupe, an undrafted rookie with a big leg and upside.
The gamble never fully paid off. According to Meirov’s post, Grupe’s two misses this weekend pushed his total to eight on the year, a rough number for a team looking for any semblance of stability. After sticking with him through the bumps, the Saints finally pulled the plug and are turning to York.
Meanwhile, Lutz quietly settled in as Denver’s steady leg. He impressed Payton enough to earn a new three-year deal, locking him in as the Broncos’ long-term answer at kicker while the Saints will now be onto their third option since the original trade.
For Broncos fans, the optics are juicy — especially for New Orleans.
What It Means for Sean Payton & the Broncos
On the field, nothing changes immediately for Denver. Lutz was already under contract and entrenched as the starter.
But the move in New Orleans reinforces the idea that Payton’s trust in his former kicker was more than just nostalgia. Denver cycled through kickers in recent seasons; now they have stability at a position that often only gets noticed when things go wrong.
It also adds another small data point in Payton’s favor as the Broncos continue leveling up their roster and building a contender. The head coach took plenty of heat for veteran-leaning decisions early in his Denver tenure. This one, at least, looks like a clear win: the team that gave up Lutz is still searching for answers, while the team that acquired him just doubled down.
If Lutz continues to deliver in key late-season spots, the contrast between Denver’s stability and New Orleans’ revolving door could look even sharper.
Sean Payton Doesn’t Miss’: Broncos Fans React to Blake Grupe Release
The kicker news immediately turned into a mini-victory lap on social media.
Broncos fans responded to the Grupe report with screenshots of Lutz’s extension, jokes about the original trade and plenty of Payton memes. The “Sean Payton doesn’t miss” line quickly became the go-to caption as fans pointed out that the coach’s faith in Lutz has already outlasted the Saints’ patience with Grupe.
It is only a kicker move, but in a league where thin margins decide seasons, Broncos Country will happily claim any win it can — especially one that makes a former Payton team look like it backed the wrong leg.
