One Single Person Can’t Let the Aaron Rodgers Thing Die
Most Minnesota Vikings fans have realized that the prospect of Aaron Rodgers joining the purple team died after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s comments last week.
One Single Person Can’t Let the Aaron Rodgers Thing Die
The young executive all but committed to his young quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, while acknowledging that his team investigated Rodgers’ free agency but tabled it because McCarthy represented the best path forward.
Thanks to one voice, however, Rodgers in Minnesota just won’t die. That’s The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini.
Russini’s Continued Quest for Rodgers to Vikings
During the last month or so, Russini has engaged in a cat-and-mouse-like game regarding Rodgers’ likelihood of landing in Minnesota.
A prominent NFL reporter will claim the Vikings aren’t signing Rodgers, or the aforementioned Adofo-Mensah will say his team will roll with McCarthy — only for Russini to keep the rumor mill alive soon after.
After Adofo-Mensah’s rather blunt commentary at last week’s pre-draft press conference, Russini again resurrected Rodgers to the Vikings.
“I do think there’s a world — and I know Vikings fans don’t want to see it. Whether it’s their hate for Aaron Rodgers. Whether it’s they feel J.J.’s not getting a fair shake,” she said on The Scoop City podcast.
“Whatever the reason is for why some Vikings fans don’t want to see Aaron Rodgers, they have to come to grips — there is a world that exists, this year, where Aaron Rodgers hangs out and the Minnesota Vikings pick up the phone and they make the call. It could happen.”
The whatever reason involved Rodgers’ age — he’ll be 42 in December — and his knack for grabbing all attention from an NFL team and focusing on himself personally.
Russini continued, “J.J. McCarthy has not been told he is the starter. He has not been told he is the No. 1 guy. Even before Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold walked away, or at least went to other teams, it was always discussed that it would be a competition this summer.”
“They’re not telling him anything. That is also telling to me. They don’t know; how could they know? He’s coming off injury. They need to see it.”
Rodgers Considered, but Vikings Prefer J.J. McCarthy
Reporters adamantly questioned Adofo-Mensah last week about Rodgers in purple before he all but ruled out the relationship. “We didn’t think it was the right move at this time. It is also his decision whether he signs with another team. That’s ultimately up to the player. For me to sit here and say that, you know, anything’s 100% forever, that’s just not the job,” Adofo-Mensah explained.
“We’re responding to scenarios and different information as it comes. So, you know, obviously things can change, but right now we’re really happy with our room.”
The “room” features McCarthy and Brett Rypien.
Rodgers as a Viking can remain a possibility so long as he’s unemployed — a freak incident could occur, like another McCarthy injury. McCarthy tore his meniscus last summer.
Otherwise, there isn’t much doubt about McCarthy climbing the depth chart to QB1 this spring and summer.
The Time Is Now for McCarthy
Adofo-Mensah specifically claimed his team is heading toward the McCarthy era, leaving little to the imagination.
“When we pool the resources we did to draft J.J., and you go through that long process and all those things, I can’t stand up here and say that’s not the outcome we want. That’s the outcome we’re headed towards,” Adofo-Mensah mentioned about his young quarterback.
“At every checkpoint, whether it been the draft process or practice, until the injury, and really the offseason now, he’s met the bar. I mean, he’s exceeded our expectations at every point.”
Vikings Still Need a Backup QB
Before too long — probably after the 2025 NFL Draft — Minnesota will sign a non-Rodgers passer to support McCarthy as QB2.
Adding a free-agent quarterback now could cancel a compensatory draft pick next year for Adofo-Mensah, but after the draft, he can sign anybody without that clause.
These free agents are on the menu:
- Joe Flacco
- Case Keenum
- Trey Lance
- Drew Lock
- Ryan Tannehill
- Mike White
All things Rodgers to Minnesota could be tabled if he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the frontrunner for his services. The deal would probably even end Russini’s fascination with Rodgers to Minnesota.
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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.
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