Cardinals Fans Split on Jeremiyah Love Rookie Debate After Nathaniel Hackett’s Odd Quote vs. Jacoby Brissett’s Rave Review
Cardinals rookie Jeremiyah Love had a very interesting day of quotes from his own coaching staff, and the two takes could not have been more different.
First, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett offered up a measured, arguably cautious assessment of the first-round running back’s development. “He’s definitely a rookie, and as we’ve talked about, he’ll keep growing every single day,” Hackett said. “Very excited for him. All those guys, not just him. I’m very excited about this room. There are a lot of guys that have a lot of carries, a lot of experience.”
Cardinals fans read that quote and immediately started asking questions. Why is your first-round rookie running back being lumped in with the room? Why is the emphasis on him being “definitely a rookie” instead of on what he is doing well? Why does that quote read more like a hedge than a hype?
Then Jacoby Brissett stepped to the microphone.
“I see why we paid him $50M, that’s for sure,” Brissett said of Love.
That is the quote every rookie wants to hear from a veteran teammate. It is a public endorsement, a nod to the investment the team made, and a reassurance to the fanbase that the guy the front office spent a first-round pick on looks the part.
The contrast is the whole story. Same rookie. Same practice window. One coach hedges. The starting quarterback raves.
Both quotes can be true, of course. Hackett is a coach responsible for developing the entire running back room and does not want to publicly favor a rookie over experienced veterans. Brissett is a starting quarterback with fewer political sensitivities, saying what he actually sees on the field.
What made Hackett’s comments strike a nerve is the pattern. Cardinals fans have watched their offense underperform its skill talent for years, and the fanbase is very sensitive to anything that sounds like the coordinator is preparing to be cautious with a high-upside young player. Hackett does not have a lot of goodwill to burn in Arizona right now.
Brissett’s quote, on the other hand, is exactly the kind of thing that lifts a fanbase. Veterans complimenting rookies with specific reference to their draft investment tells everyone in the building that the money was well spent. It also cements Brissett’s reputation as a legitimate veteran voice, which is going to matter as the Cardinals move through the season with a young starter at quarterback.
Love himself will not have to say much publicly. His job is to keep showing up, keep flashing, and let the tape do the talking. If he plays the way the Cardinals believe he can, none of these summer quotes will matter by October.
The whole episode is a good reminder that camp coverage is often a study in body language and word choice. Two quotes about the same player told two very different stories in the same news cycle.
Only one of them made the fanbase feel better about the pick.
Brissett has already earned his $15.5 million paycheck.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
