Adam Schefter Adds Fuel to Vikings QB Rumor Mill
It started as a fan-driven hypothesis, but thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Aaron Rodgers + Minnesota Vikings rumors are officially here.
Adam Schefter Adds Fuel to Vikings QB Rumor Mill
Credible reporting suggested over the weekend that Rodgers’ two-year experiment with the New York Jets would end, forcing the 41-year-old to retire or join another team, presumably via free agency. The Vikings, meanwhile, have a quarterback decision this offseason — unrelated to Rodgers — between rookie J.J. McCarthy, who tore his meniscus last August and missed his entire rookie season, and Sam Darnold, the man who propelled Minnesota to a 14-3 record in 2024 before vaporizing in the postseason.
But per Schefter, Rodgers to Minnesota cannot be ruled out.
“My guess would be that he ends up playing,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show Monday. “He’s gonna want to continue playing. I would guess he’ll want to do it at a place that wants him. Here’s a guy that, I think he’s made more money than any NFL player in history right now. So that gives him the ability to sit back and be selective about what he does and doesn’t want to do.”
Then, he delivered the Vikings nugget. “It’s a fluid, moving thing. Is Minnesota gonna lose Sam Darnold, or are they gonna bring him back?” Schefter rhetorically asked.
Two weeks ago, Rodgers was linked to Minnesota via Bleacher Report. BR’s Kristopher Knox explained in an article about the best and worst landing spots for quarterbacks on the move: “While this scenario is highly unlikely, following Brett Favre’s Green Bay-to-New-York-to-Minnesota path could be the best possible outcome for Rodgers. If the 41-year-old decides to extend his NFL career, it’ll be to ensure that the Jets debacle isn’t his final chapter. He won’t come back to lead another directionless franchise. He’ll want to play for a contender, and there aren’t many that will consider employing him.”
“The Vikings theoretically could have an opening if they part with both Darnold and Jones while deciding that McCarthy needs another year as an understudy. Minnesota has a strong enough offensive cast to support Rodgers, while the veteran has stated that he’s open to mentoring a young quarterback,” Knox said about the Vikings as Rodgers’ top landing spot.
Moreover, Draft Kings posted these odds for Rodgers’ next team:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: +200
- Las Vegas Raiders: +300
- San Francisco 49ers: +350
- Minnesota Vikings: +400
- Indianapolis Colts: +650
If Minnesota had no McCarthy for the future, perhaps signing Rodgers for a year could make sense. However, that’s not the reality, and onboarding Rodgers might turn the Twin Cities into a circus, potentially detrimental to McCarthy’s development.
Rodgers’ personality consumes everything on a football team, and that just doesn’t seem like the Vikings’ current leadership’s modus operandi.
But thanks to insiders like Schefter, the Rodgers-Vikings rumors won’t die quietly.
Rodgers will turn 42 in December.
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 Vikings 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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