Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass down field during the second quarter of their game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021. © Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK.
It was probably inevitable before the man called it quits, and onlookers can mark November 19th, 2024, as the day the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill formally expanded to include Aaron Rodgers.
The New York Jets fired general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday, the last remaining force that brought Rodgers to The Big Apple. Early reporting suggests that Rodgers may not be a priority to re-sign in 2025 and that a new general manager will want his own plan and quarterback in 2025.
Almost by default, that parked Rodgers squarely in the Vikings’ rumor mill, well, basically just because. Rodgers’ predecessor in Green Bay, Brett Favre, fired up this path — to a tee — playing in Green Bay for years, joining the Jets, flopping with that experiment, and becoming a Viking soon after. The parallels are spooky.
Popular Packers podcaster Andy Herman started the fun on X after Douglas’ termination: “We are way closer to Aaron Rodgers the Minnesota Viking than I think people realize. The scenario is actually crazy possible. JJ McCarthy is the Vikings future QB, but he just had to have a second surgery on his knee… not ideal and he would be inheriting a very good team as a rookie QB who probably isn’t quite ready and is coming off a major injury in 2025.”
McCarthy did not have a “second surgery,” instead receiving a standard post-surgery injection last week.
“Meanwhile, Sam Darnold has every right to want to demand a long term deal from his next team — something the Vikings may not be willing to do given that JJ McCarthy is in fact their next franchise QB. What the Vikings would need would be a one-year stop gap QB while McCarthy sits and gets ready for one more year. And look who would just happen to be available,” Herman added.
Herman wasn’t alone, either. A much more prominent voice spitballed Rodgers to the Vikings, as well. ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweeted, “With a totally new regime in 2025, it likely means Aaron Rodgers won’t be back. A new GM and new HC will probably want their own QB. Rodgers has a good relationship with Douglas, and last week he advocated for Jeff Ulbrich — and it’s hard to imagine him wanting to even be back.”
And ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, who covers the Vikings, quickly retweeted, “👀. Vikings have one QB under contract for 2025 and he has never played a down of regular-season NFL football. It’s happening.”
The aforementioned Darnold may be in the process of pricing himself out of the Vikings’ range in 2025. In theory, if Minnesota wanted a second Darnold act, it could cost between $25 million and $40 million. Otherwise, Minnesota’s coaching staff loves rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and he’ll live on an affordable rookie contract for the next four years.
Adding Rodgers — who ranks 23rd leaguewide per EPA+CPOE through 11 weeks — is severely unlikely.
But the rumor mill involving Rodgers and Minnesota won’t stop until he retires or signs elsewhere.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.