If Wednesday’s Green Bay Packers minicamp session was supposed to be business as usual, someone forgot to tell Jordan Love and Mecole Hardman. In a moment that sparked roars on the sideline and a frenzy on social media, Love ended practice with a stunning exclamation mark — a 70-plus-yard touchdown bomb that showed both his arm talent and his growing chemistry with a brand-new target.
Yeah, it was that kind of throw. The kind that makes you hit replay a few times just to soak it all in.
💥 Two-Minute Drill, One Massive Statement
Let’s set the scene. The Packers were closing out practice with a two-minute drill, and the offense was staring down a classic fourth-and-long situation — the kind where most QBs play it safe or check down. But not Love. Instead of folding under the pressure, he rolled the dice and let it fly. Deep.
Mecole Hardman, the newly signed speedster from Kansas City, bolted past the secondary and caught the laser from Love perfectly in stride. No bobble. No hesitation. Just six points in the blink of an eye.
“It was a great throw, hit the guy right in stride,” head coach Matt LaFleur said afterward. “Now it’s questionable whether he gets that ball off or not.”
⏱️ Was It Too Good to Be True?
That last part? It’s not coach-speak — it’s controversy. Because right as Love let the ball rip, second-year edge rusher Lukas Van Ness was bearing down on him. There’s a solid case to be made that in a real game situation, that pass might not have even gotten off. The defense sure thought so.
According to those at the practice, defenders insisted the play was dead before the pass even left Love’s hand. But whether the "sack" counts or not, the offense won the rep and the defense ended up doing push-ups. Tough break.
🧨 Mecole’s Moment to Shine
Now, if you’re thinking, “Mecole Hardman? Isn’t he that gadget guy from the Chiefs?” You’re not wrong. Last season, Hardman was mostly used in jet sweeps and kick returns. He’s had flashes of brilliance, sure, but consistency as a deep threat? That’s not what he’s known for.
But Green Bay might be the fresh start he needs.
Even at 27 — the elder statesman of the receiver room, believe it or not — Hardman’s got the jets. He proved that during this highlight play by getting behind the defense with ease. His own breakdown of the play was casual, almost too casual:
“The safety was kind of playing flat-footed,” Hardman said. “So all I know is try to run behind him. After that, Jordan made a good throw, and I just tried to catch the ball and make a play.”
And that, folks, is how big plays are born.
⚡ Quick Hits from Practice
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Jordan Love’s development continues to be the biggest story in Green Bay. Every throw, every decision, every drill is being watched closely. So far? It’s looking pretty good.
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LaFleur is all in. He didn’t hold back his praise: “It’s been as good as it could’ve been,” he said about Love’s offseason performance.
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The chemistry is building. From Christian Watson to Jayden Reed and now Hardman, Love is getting reps with all the guys he’ll be relying on come September.
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Defensive pushback is real. The defense may have lost this drill, but they were fired up and aggressive all day — a sign this unit is hungry too.
📽️ A Viral Moment
Within minutes of the play, the Packers had posted the clip online. You could almost hear the internet gasp.
Fans flooded the comment sections with everything from “QB1 looks ready!” to “Sign Hardman to a lifetime deal!” Sure, it’s just minicamp, but in the long, NFL-less stretch of summer, a clip like this feels like Christmas morning for diehard Cheeseheads.
🧀 What's the Bigger Picture Here?
Let’s not overreact — this is still non-padded minicamp football. But it is encouraging. Explosive plays in practice don’t guarantee wins in September, but they do show that the connection between Love and his receiving corps is heating up.
This is especially important given how Love took over full-time duties last season after the Aaron Rodgers era finally came to a close. The spotlight’s been burning bright, and he’s been quietly — but confidently — stepping into that role.
And now, as the team inches closer to training camp, the reps matter more than ever.
🏈 Looking Ahead
Here’s what’s next on the Packers’ calendar:
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One final minicamp practice on Thursday to close out this phase of the offseason.
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Training camp kicks off July 23, which is when things will really start to heat up.
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Expect Hardman’s role to evolve, especially if he keeps flashing deep-threat potential.
As for Jordan Love? All eyes will remain glued to him. Every rep. Every throw. Every scramble. If Wednesday was any indication, he might be gearing up to surprise a lot of people this year — not just in Green Bay, but across the league.
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