Kevin O’Connell Hops into the Aaron Rodgers Rumor Mill
Minnesota Vikings fans have heard from NFL pundits — out the wazoo — about Aaron Rodgers rumors, and last week, the team’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, batted them back.
Kevin O’Connell Hops into the Aaron Rodgers Rumor Mill
But no one had heard from Kevin O’Connell about Rodgers in Minnesota — until Monday.
The young head coach did precisely that this week, addressing Rodgers to Minnesota.
Kevin O’Connell on Aaron Rodgers
At long last, O’Connell dabbled in the Rodgers rumor mill on Monday.
“Two things can be true at the same time. We took J.J. McCarthy 10th in the draft last year after a very extensive evaluation process. A lot of things we hoped to see from him we saw in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, he got injured,” he said.
“We tried to maximize as much as we could his redshirt year, while still making sure we were getting Sam Darnold and our other quarterbacks ready to play. I think J.J. was able to take some things out of that and be ready to go for the spring.”
Then, O’Connell got to the Rodgers section. “The second part of that can be true is Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP, and somebody who we’ve all had so much respect for competing against him. And he happened to be at a point in time in his career, where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like,” O’Connell mentioned.
“And we happened to be one of those teams he reached out to. I have had a personal relationship with him going back to my playing days. But yeah, so two things can be true.”
It would make all the sense in the world for Minnesota to explore the optionality with Rodgers, so O’Connell is merely relaying the diligence his franchise did in the last month.
O’Connell concluded, “Look, you guys know near and dear to my heart is the quarterback development process. I’m going to take a very, very personal role with J.J. amongst Josh and Wes and Jordan and all the guys we’re going to have working with him. But I do feel very strongly about where he’s at right now based upon the information we have, the evaluation process, the time we’ve had with him.”
“I feel very good about projecting a really positive year for J.J., and now we’ve got to go to work and do it. Talking about it in March and April doesn’t do a whole lot.”
What Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Said Last Week
So, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah are fully aligned.
Media members feverishly asked Adofo-Mensah last week about Rodgers as a Viking before he all but ruled out the connection. “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.”
Rodgers as a Viking can remain a possibility so long as he’s unemployed; if a freak incident occurs — like another McCarthy injury — then Rodgers could be an option.
Otherwise, there isn’t much doubt about McCarthy ascending the depth chart to QB1 this spring and summer.
The Steelers as the Frontrunner for Rodgers
Most expect Rodgers to end up as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB1 in 2025.
It’s just that Rodgers doesn’t do business in a rush, often soaking in the spotlight for as long as humanly possible.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra reported this week, “Aaron Rodgers is taking his time deciding on whether he’ll join the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the four-time NFL MVP is crossing every T and dotting every I as he does his due diligence. That evaluation includes getting to know new Steelers receiver, DK Metcalf.
“Rodgers and Metcalf had a throwing session over the weekend at UCLA, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported on Monday, per sources informed of the workout.”
The moment Rodgers signs in Pittsburgh, if applicable, the Rodgers-to-Vikings rumors will finally die.
Rodgers as the Vikings’ Plan B
Until then, folks will brainstorm Rodgers as Minnesota’s Plan B.
Rodgers evidently wants to play for O’Connell, although McCarthy gets in the way of the relationship.
This brand of Vikings leadership never likes to say “no” forever, as the NFL is a fast-changing business. If something happened to McCarthy again this summer via injury, Rodgers in Minnesota could materialize if he’s unemployed and because of the parties’ offseason dealings.
New Vikings Rumor Spreads Like Wildfire
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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