The Truth Surfaces about Vikings’ Pursuit of Aaron Rodgers

Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass during minicamp at their South Side facility. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images.

Aaron Rodgers rocked the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill for about a month this offseason, placing fans on the edges of their seats, with folks wanting to know if he’d lead the purple team for one season after nearly two decades as the most formidable of foes.

Adam Schefter revealed some intel on the Vikings’ pursuit of Aaron Rodgers. And some clarifying information told the whole story.

The answer was ultimately no, as Minnesota’s leadership leaned full tilt into the J.J. McCarthy era.

But on Wednesday, thanks to Adam Schefter, some clarity emerged on the Vikings’ pursuit of Rodgers.

Spoiler: He didn’t much activate their radar.

Vikings Were Not “Overly Serious” about Signing Aaron Rodgers

Schefter told the Rothman & Ice Show this week that Rodgers and the Vikings’ brass were “never that close” to an agreement. Unsurprisingly, the realism of Rodgers landing in the Twin Cities might’ve been fan-driven.

May 31, 2022. HANDOUT PHOTO: Coverage of Capital One’s The Match at the Wynn Golf Club. Aaron Rodgers watches his shot. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Freeman/Turner Sports via USA TODAY Sports.

“There were conversations with Rodgers, but they never got overly serious. It was just kind of like, I think the interest was more on Aaron’s side, to be honest. He recognized the team the Vikings have, the type of coaches they have, the type of players, receivers they have. And I think that would have been appealing to him,” Schefter said.

And voila — the death of a rumor that was probably overblown in the first place.

Revisiting the Aaron Rodgers Rumor for the Vikings

As it turns out, the Vikings were never serious about signing ‘ol Aaron Rodgers in the first place.

The Aaron Rodgers Saga Felt More Serious Than That

Make no mistake, you could cut the tension with a knife regarding the Rodgers saga in March and April.

Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh quarterback A. Rodgers (8) looks over his helmet during minicamp at their South Side facility. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images.

Many fans, especially Facebook users, believed Roders would turn purple for one year. Rodgers reportedly pitched Minnesota — he really wanted them — for a single-season sprint at glory, with Rodgers hoping to win another Super Bowl that has eluded him for 15 years and one that has never graced the Vikings’ trophy case.

Minnesota explored what Rodgers would look like on the 2025 roster, but later chose McCarthy, the man they drafted with the 10th overall pick in 2024.

The hype for Rodgers was legitimate for some; the realism just didn’t align, according to Schefter.

Water Under the Bridge Now

Most Rodgers dealings in June don’t much matter to Minnesota.

Kevin O’Connell has fully committed to McCarthy before and after the Rodgers rumpus, and McCarthy has done his part since taking the QB1 scepter.

March 27, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback A. Rodgers throws the ball back during the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks in the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

What’s left? Well, fans will monitor Rodgers’ performance in Pittsburgh this season, and depending on the outcome, look back and wonder “what might have been” if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had taken the bait of Rodgers’ sexy proposal.

A Grudge Match in Ireland

A side dish of the Rodgers-Vikings flirtation is that both parties will meet in Dublin on September 28th, marking that city’s first brush with NFL regular-season football.

Rodgers and his new teammates will take on McCarthy’s Vikings in a Week 4 battle at Croke Park.

Minnesota previously beat Rodgers and the New York Jets in London last season, an event that prompted the termination of Jets coach Robert Saleh.

Other Aaron Rodgers Fodder

Steelers legend Jerome Bettis spoke about Rodgers this week. Rodgers is a popular guy. Just the way he likes it.

He observed, “I think the one big question that you have to ask yourself is, can you protect him?. I think that’s going to be the number one priority for the Steelers. Obviously, you know Rogers as a quarterback is a talent.”

“Even at 41 years old, he’s going to be way above average as a quarterback. If you can protect him, then you can get all the value out of him and that position. If you can’t protect him, then it doesn’t matter who you put out there. You can play two young guys, it doesn’t matter. You’re going to get the same productivity.”

May 2, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Jets quarterback A. Rodgers (left) and cornerback Sauce Gardner sit courtside during the second quarter of game two of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference semifinal playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports.

Bettis played for the Steelers from 1993 to 2005.

He added, “So I think the goal is to protect him. If you can protect him, then I think you get all the benefits of having a quality football player at the helm, at the quarterback position. You’ve got to give him a running game. So now you’re not asking him to drop back 35, 40 times with an offensive line that’s probably not the best pass-blocking offensive line.”

“So you get those guys pounding at you, then I think you can throw some play action and other things. I think that creates a great mix up front to protect Aaron Rodgers. Once you get to the playoffs, anything’s possible. I think that’s what you’ve got to be thinking. Gel well enough to get to the playoffs. We were a sixth seed and won the championship.”

Minnesota is a very early 1.5-point favorite to take down Rodgers’ team in Dublin.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily … More about Dustin Baker