The Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes continue to drag on nearly a full week into NFL free agency. It has been thought that the Pittsburgh Steelers are the favorites to sign him, followed by the New York Giants, but in recent days, another team has crept into the sweepstakes.
The Minnesota Vikings are now thought to have a real shot at nabbing the former Green Bay Packers star quarterback. It would perhaps be fitting, as Brett Favre, Rodgers’ predecessor in Green Bay, left to join the New York Jets in 2008, just as Rodgers left to play for the Jets two years ago, before going to the Vikings.
A report from The Athletic indicated that the Vikings are indeed the team Rodgers is hoping to play for this fall.
“Rodgers is hoping to sign with the Vikings, who went 14-3 in 2024 before suffering a first-round playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams,” Michael Silver, Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis wrote. “Meanwhile, the Vikings have been strongly weighing the possibility of pursuing Rodgers as a replacement for 2024 starter Sam Darnold, who signed a three-year, $100 million free-agent deal Wednesday with the Seattle Seahawks.”
However, Rodgers isn’t in control here. The same report said that one man — head coach Kevin O’Connell — will dictate whether Minnesota will actually look to sign the four-time MVP.
“O’Connell, the reigning NFL coach of the year, must decide whether he’s committed to bringing in the future first-ballot Hall of Famer, while considering the effect such a move could have on the growth of second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th pick in the 2024 draft. To be sure, pursuing Rodgers would be an organizational decision, but O’Connell is the person with the most on the line, and it will only happen if he’s comfortable with the scenario.”
Minnesota just let Sam Darnold, who had a revelatory 2024 season and made the Pro Bowl, leave in free agency, and it has appeared committed to McCarthy as its starting QB moving forward. But if the Vikings want Rodgers, and if Rodgers wants them, they would represent his best chance of ending his career on a more positive note.
He missed the playoffs in both of his two seasons with the Jets (he missed almost all of his first season with them due to a torn Achilles). The Vikings, meanwhile, went 14-3 and came to the brink of finishing with the best record in the NFC last season.
They have plenty of offensive firepower in star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, WR2 Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson, as well as running back Aaron Jones, Rodgers’ former teammate with the Packers.
