GREEN BAY - How do you make high school football practice on a 90-degree day with a heat index of 101 feel instantly cool?
Just have Jordan Love show up.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback rolled up in a John Deere Gator and breezed onto the field at Green Bay West High School on a sweltering Monday afternoon for Wildcats practice to launch his new 10ve for Cleats campaign, pronounced "Love for Cleats," with 10 being Love's jersey number.
For every touchdown he runs or throws during the 2024-25 season, Love will donate new Nike cleats to an entire team in Wisconsin through his Hands of Love Foundation, in partnership with U.S. Venture. Beginning in December, teams will be able to apply using a form at handsof10ve.org . It's open to all K-12 boys and girls sports teams in the state that use cleats. Teams will be selected based on need.
Packers fans can also donate $10 toward a pair of cleats through the foundation website.
Before stepping up to the podium on the field, Love immediately went over to joke around with the players, who were sitting on the bleachers awaiting his arrival. He wanted to know who the quarterback was on the team and who had the best Instagram on the team. "That's what I need to know,” he said.
He was joined by U.S. Venture CEO Eric Kessenich for the formal announcement.
“I know you guys are hot in all your gear so I’ll make it quick,” Love said, before telling the team why the initiative is important to him.
“My passion for the game of football started at a young age. I think all kids should be able to play sports. I’m very passionate about sports and football,” he said. “Regardless of the circumstances everyone might have or things people might be going through ... you never really know who needs a little extra help on your team.”
He also talked about what it means to him, once a high school player sitting on the bleachers just like the Wildcats, to now, at age 25, be in a position to give back. He was just trying to make it to the next level and get to college, never thinking one day he would be playing in the NFL.
“It’s definitely a dream to be sitting where I’m at being an NFL starting quarterback,” he said. "It’s an honor and a blessing to be able to have this platform to be able to give back and do something I’ve always dreamt of doing.”
Love launched the nonprofit Hands of 10ve Foundation in May. Its mission is to inspire and empower children from all backgrounds to engage in sports, promoting physical and mental well-being. It also works to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention and foster stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community.
Mental health is just as as important as physical health, Love said, and it’s important to make an effort to ask teammates and fellow students how they’re doing. You never know what struggles in life they may be dealing with when they come to school or practice each day, Love said.
He offered some advice about grades, too.
“Make sure you prioritize being a student at the same time as being an athlete, because both will take you to places that you might not see possible right now,” he said.
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Romeo Doubs, AJ Dillon and the Chicago Bears came up in the Q&A
The Wildcats had a chance to ask him a quick round of questions, and his fellow football players got right to the good stuff.
Favorite teammate: Running back AJ Dillon. “We came in together, we trained together before the combine and the draft and all that, so we’ve been together for awhile."
Biggest inspiration: His late father Orbin Love . “He was the one who was out there with me when I was a little kid teaching me how to throw the football, teaching me how to shoot hoops, putting me in sports at a young age, and was always one of my coaches growing up in little league.”
Favorite quarterback to watch growing up: Michael Vick. “I always wanted to grow up and be like Mike Vick and be able to run around and throw it and do all the crazy stuff he did.”
Most reliable pass catcher on the Packers: Wide receiver Romeo Doubs. “That’s my guy. He’s gonna catch it every time.”
Favorite team to play against: Chicago Bears.
Before he left, Love sat in for a team photo, handed out 10ve for Cleats T-shirts to the players and posed for photos along with his fiancée Ronika Stone with others involved in the campaign.
As for how many touchdowns he’s hoping to make this season? He didn't throw out a number.
“More than last year. That’s my prediction,” he said. “... Hopefully a lot of teams will be able to get new cleats.”
Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com . Follow her on X @KendraMeinert .
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Jordan Love drops in on Green Bay West High School football practice to launch his 10ve for Cleats campaign
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