Aaron Rodgers Sets the Record Straight on Vikings Rumor
Aaron Rodgers joined The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN this week, unafraid to get some topics off his chest.
Aaron Rodgers Sets the Record Straight on Vikings Rumor
Rodgers is a mainstay on McAfee’s show, and the hosts weren’t shy about needling Rodgers about his 2025 plans.
Along the way, Rodgers confirms chats this offseason with the Minnesota Vikings, though they didn’t go very far, as Minnesota is committed to J.J. McCarthy for the long term.
Aaron Rodgers Confirms Chats with Vikings
While the Vikings leaders already acknowledged doing the diligence on Rodgers’ free agency this offseason, the 41-year-old passer confirmed on his end Thursday.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Rich Cimini noted about the exchange between Rodgers and McAfee: “Though Rodgers said he’s had ‘good communication’ with the Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell, he said it wasn’t accurate that he was waiting for Minnesota to offer him a spot after their evaluation of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy in the offseason program, something former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suggested as a possibility in a podcast episode with McAfee.”
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said a few weeks ago that he and head coach Kevin O’Connell examined Rodgers’ would-be role in Minnesota amid free agency, and decided he was not an option, at least for now, as the purple team’s QB1 in 2025.
Some believe the Vikings will call Rodgers if another injury rattles McCarthy’s spring or summer. He tore his meniscus last August and missed all of his rookie season.
Rodgers on the Steelers Possibility
Most expect Rodgers to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers if that franchise doesn’t draft Shedeur Sanders next week.
Rodgers said about his plans for Pittsburgh: “I’ve talked to Mike Tomlin. He’s more than I even thought from afar, as far as the type of person he is. I have a lot of respect for what he’s accomplished in the league.”
“Arthur Smith, talk about a guy that doesn’t need to work, he doesn’t need the work, but he’s a grinder. We’ve had a friendship for a couple years now. I like what he’s all about. And the quarterback coach, Tom Arth, he was in the quarterback room with me in 2006 in Green Bay. … Personally, I wanted to see what it was like there at the facility, meet Omar Khan in person, just get a glimpse, a snippet of what life would be like in Pittsburgh.”
The Steelers have Mason Rudolph lined up for QB1 at the moment, although it could onboard the aforementioned Sanders, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, or Louisville’s Tyler Shough from the draft.
Rodgers may actually miss his opportunity with the Steelers if Sanders tumbles to them at pick No. 21.
Personal Issues in Play
Moreover, Rodgers is dealing with unknown life issues.
“I’m in a different phase of my life. I’m 41 years old. I’m in a serious relationship. I have off-the-field stuff going on that requires my attention. I have personal commitments I made not knowing what my future was going to look like after last year that are important to me. And I have a couple people in my inner, inner circle that are really battling some difficult stuff,” he told McAfee.
“So, I have a lot of things that are taking my attention, and have beginning in really January, away from football. That’s been where I’ve been focusing most of my attention. To make a commitment to a team is a big thing, whether you’re a first-year player or a 20-year vet. And I had a lot of great conversations with a lot of teams. Not one of those was the Jets because that wasn’t a great conversation. … I had some good conversations, but I’ve been up-front with all of them.”
Rodgers Unimpressed with the Jets
It didn’t take long for Rodgers to tee off on the Jets, his previous employer that did not welcome him back for 2025 after a new general manager and head coach took over.
Rodgers flew to New York — across the nation — to discuss the 2025 plan, and he claims new skipper Aaron Glenn quickly told him that New York would go in a different quarterback direction without him. The veteran quarterback said the conversation could’ve occurred on the phone — saving the hardship of a long flight.
“I was kind of shocked. Not shocked because I didn’t think that was a possibility. Listen, of course, if they want to move on, that’s fine. But shocked because I just flew across the country, and you could have told me this on the phone,” Rodgers mentioned.
“No, hell no. I don’t want any part of that,” Rodgers said about the Jets, in general. “It was already a debacle in some cases. Listen, that whole situation was crazy.”
Vikings to Roll with J.J. McCarthy
Rodgers also claimed he wasn’t “waiting around to see how J.J. McCarthy did this offseason,” a popular theory for some who still believe he could end up in purple.
Every step of the way this offseason, Minnesota has pointed to McCarthy as its QB1, and Rodgers’ appearance on The Pat McAfee Show did little to change that.
It’s McCarthy’s team.
The Dark Horse Option
One option for Rodgers that hasn’t been explored by many — he could just remain a free agent indefinitely. A quarterback or two is guaranteed to get hurt this summer or autumn, and Rodgers could rather easily become the “go-to guy” to save a season.
A similar fate could await former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is stuck on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster behind Michael Penix Jr.
One could argue that Rodgers would adore the attention of “saving the day” for a quarterback-less franchise.
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