File this under “things we didn’t see coming a few weeks ago.”
The Green Bay Packers have a playoff spot locked up, as well as their seeding, having clinched the #7 spot in the NFC playoffs for a third straight season. As a result, Sunday’s regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings means nothing for playoff positioning, with their Wild Card destination entirely determined by the results of the Chicago Bears’ and Philadelphia Eagles’ games.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has said since last
Saturday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens that the team would look at resting several key players on Sunday to keep the team as healthy as possible for a playoff push, and on Thursday he confirmed that this plan includes the team’s number one quarterback. LaFleur told the media in his Thursday press conference that Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but that he will not start on Sunday.
Instead, Clayton Tune will be the team’s starting quarterback with Malik Willis also dealing with injury issues of his own. Tune was elevated to the 53-man roster from the practice squad before last week’s game and played a few snaps late against the Ravens, completing one of four passes for 8 yards with an interception (that bounced off a Packers receiver’s hands).
As a refresher, Tune was a 5th-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, going 139th overall and exactly 10 picks before the Packers selected Sean Clifford. In two years with Arizona, Tune saw the field in 13 games, starting one game as a rookie. In that game, a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Tune went 11-for-20 passing for 58 yards and two interceptions, while adding five rushing attempts for 28 yards.
Tune had a prolific college career at the University of Houston. His 5th and final season saw him throw for 40 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards. That season was wide receiver Matthew Golden’s true freshman year, and he caught 38 passes for 584 yards and 7 touchdowns from Tune. Golden would eventually transfer to Texas for the 2024 season and was the Packers’ first-round draft pick this April.
While Tune will start, Love will likely be available only as the Packers’ emergency quarterback on Sunday. The Packers added Desmond Ridder to their practice squad this week, and Ridder may be elevated to the gameday roster to serve as Tune’s backup.
Stay tuned (yes, I said it) for more updates leading up to Sunday.
