2 Guys Could Make the Vikings’ Overseas Games Even Spicier
The Minnesota Vikings are once again chosen to compete for victories in Europe. A 4-0 enterprise overseas, Kevin O’Connell’s unit will not only play in the familiar city of London, but also make a trip to Dublin to face a total of two AFC North competitors.
2 Guys Could Make the Vikings’ Overseas Games Even Spicier
That schedule has drawn a ton of reactions, starting with folks who view it as an unfair advantage for the Vikings because they now have an increased chance to steal a couple of road games, while others pointed out the lack of routine and familiarity on the trip.
Both foes, the Steelers and the Browns, have been in an eventful offseason, and the lack of quarterback talent certainly limits the appeal of either franchise.
QB Situation
The Cleveland Browns thought they had the position figured out for a decade when they pulled the crazy trade for Deshaun Watson, who, at the time, had not played football in a year, and the legal actions were ongoing with a suspension likely.
Since then, Watson has gone through an 11-game suspension and suffered season-ending shoulder and Achilles injuries. The move has been a total disaster, and the Browns can’t get out of the fully guaranteed deal.
Instead, they have signed veteran Joe Flacco, who’s probably the betting favorite to lead the Browns onto the field in London. Former first-rounder Kenny Pickett hopes to unseat him, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have a chance, too.
In Pittsburgh, it hasn’t been nearly as crazy, but it also hasn’t been good since the Big Ben days. Pickett didn’t work out, and last year’s duo of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields dipped.
For now, it is Mason Rudolph in the QB1 spot with no real alternative behind him. Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard are with him in the meeting room.
Perhaps besides Sanders, none of those matchups are any fun for Vikings fans, let alone neutral spectators. But two available quarterbacks could change that.
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers has primarily been linked to two franchises this offseason; it would just be fitting for him to play for one of them when they face off in Dublin. The Vikings said no thanks, sticking with last year’s first-rounder J.J. McCarthy.
The Steelers, meanwhile, don’t have the luxury of starting their brand-new first-rounder. Mike Tomlin and his crew haven’t had any playoff success since the 2016 season, and the seat might be warming up, although it’s quite hard to be fired as a Steelers’ head coach.
Rodgers is no longer the All-Pro caliber passer, but he is still a solid starter, coming off a season with 27 passing touchdowns. He does come with a controversial personality, but Tomlin has been masterful in managing those players in the past.
The future Hall of Famer is 16-12-1 against the Vikings, and if he signs with the Steelers, which many think is just a matter of time, he could meet the purple rivals one final time.
Kirk Cousins
Another rematch with a controversial figure for Vikings fans could happen, too. If the Steelers move on from their pursuit of Rodgers but aren’t satisfied with their quarterback room, well, a trade for Kirk Cousins is still possible.
Also, the four-time Pro Bowler had one of those Pro Bowl seasons under Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in 2019, when he was still the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, and he could also try to get him to quarterback his offense once again.
Cousins left the Vikings in the 2024 offseason to become the new face of the franchise in Atlanta, but has badly failed, getting benched for Michael Penix Jr. 14 games into the season. He wants a starting job, and the Falcons would like to get out of his contract and potentially even secure some draft capital in return.
His first reunion with the Vikings was a disaster as he watched Sam Darnold explode for five touchdowns in a blowout victory. Cousins undoubtedly would want to even the score.
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