Jordan Love exits Green Bay loss with a concussion in latest injury for Packers

CHICAGO (AP) — The injuries are piling up for the Green Bay Packers.

It was Jordan Love on Saturday night.

The star quarterback exited with a concussion after he was hit hard in the second quarter, and Green Bay blew a late lead in a gut-wrenching 22-16 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears. John FitzPatrick also left with an Achilles injury, leaving the Packers thin at tight end.

The head injury for Love comes after defensive end Micah Parsons tore the ACL in his left knee during last weekend's 34-26 loss at Denver. While running back Josh Jacobs and receiver Christian Watson managed to play after they were listed as questionable, right tackle Zach Tom, safety Evan Williams and tight end Josh Whyle were sidelined by injuries.

“That's football, right?” coach Matt LaFleur said. “And you've got to stay resilient. ... You roll up your sleeves, you get back to work, and you continue to fight. And that's what our guys will do.”

Love was shaken up after a helmet-to-helmet hit by defensive lineman Austin Booker on a sack. Booker was flagged for roughing the passer.

The 27-year-old Love eventually jogged off the field and went into the blue injury tent on Green Bay’s sideline. Then he walked to the visiting locker room.

There was no update on Love after the loss.

“I hollered at him after the game, just really quickly,” said backup quarterback Malik Willis, who replaced Love. “I mean, I didn’t get to really get into it too much with him. Just let him know I’m praying for him and hope he’s ready to go.”

Willis gave Green Bay (9-5-1) a spark, going 9 of 11 for 121 yards and a touchdown — a beautiful 33-yard pass to Romeo Doubs late in the third quarter. Willis also had 10 carries for 44 yards on the ground.

Willis and the Packers were in control after they opened a 16-6 lead on Brandon McManus' third field goal, a 28-yarder with 5:03 left. But they were unable to close out a win that would have moved them back into first place in the NFC North.

“Just too many errors in critical moments that got us beat,” LaFleur said.

Green Bay went 0 for 5 in the red zone, after it was 1 for 4 in those situations against Denver. Doubs mishandled an onside kick that was recovered by Chicago. There was a botched exchange between Willis and Sean Rhyan in overtime, setting the stage for Caleb Williams' game-ending touchdown pass for the Bears.

“I just didn’t do the job right and like I said, I’ll take 100% of this game,” Doubs said.

Willis took the blame for the snap miscue in overtime.

“Just a miscommunication between me and Sean,” he said. “He wasn’t expecting me to change up the cadence, but the clock got low and I was just trying to hurry up and get a snap. So we’re just a little off timing, off kilter there. That’s on me.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love is attended to after being hurt during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love is hurt as he is hit by Chicago Bears' Austin Booker during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love warms up before an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Crews made progress Saturday battling a smoky wildfire in southern California that broke out a day earlier and prompted mandatory evacuations.

Encompassing roughly 6.3 square miles (about 16 square kilometers) in Riverside County, about 64 miles (103 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, the Springs Fire was at least 45% percent contained on Saturday, a fire department spokesperson said. It was 25% contained on Friday.

While gusts up to 45 mph (72 kph) were predicted Saturday, Terra Fernandez, public safety information specialist for the Riverside County Fire Department, said winds had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, helping the efforts of fire crews.

“We’re feeling confident. The winds have died down so it’s assisting us in making more progress," she said. Fernandez also credited efforts to build and strengthen containment lines around the fire perimeter.

“We have natural equestrian trails around where a lot of the structures are and so that helps our firefighters make access.” she said. “And the humidity increasing this evening will also help.”

So far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed, Fernandez said.

Crews began early Saturday dropping water and retardant all around the fire by air. About 260 personnel are battling the blaze, including crews from around the region who are building and strengthening the containment lines and laying hose, she said.

Less than a dozen zones in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders, while evacuation warnings in other parts of the county were lifted. It was not immediately known how many households were affected by the orders.

The fire is located in a populated unincorporated part of Riverside County that's a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Pechanga Fire Department firefighters monitor the smoky and fast-growing wildfire Springs Fire in Moreno Valley, Calif., Friday, April 3, 2026. (Terry Pierson /The Orange County Register via AP)