Aaron Rodgers seemingly wants the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately for the veteran quarterback, the Minnesota Vikings do not want him. At least for now, according to NFL Media, which reported Wednesday that the Vikings are standing by 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy as their signal-caller for 2025.
Specifically, the Vikings have rejected multiple trade inquiries for McCarthy, per Tom Pelissero, “telling other teams they’re moving forward with” the Michigan product as their presumptive starter. Minnesota still plans to add another veteran quarterback, Pelissero reported, but Rodgers isn’t among the options “at this time.”
This comes days after The Athletic reported Vikings decision-makers were discussing the possibility of pursuing Rodgers, who’s reportedly resisted stronger interest from the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers in hopes of the Vikings emerging as a potential destination. Minnesota, meanwhile, only surfaced as a speculated landing spot once 2024 starter Sam Darnold signed elsewhere in free agency.
For Rodgers, a Vikings team-up would’ve made sense: Besides the ironic Brett Favre parallels, going from the Green Bay Packers to New York Jets to wearing purple, he would’ve found an enviable setup in Minnesota, where coach Kevin O’Connell and playmakers like Justin Jefferson helped Darnold reach career heights in 2024. The Vikings just invested a top-10 pick in McCarthy, however, and have repeatedly endorsed him as a starting-caliber quarterback despite his missing all of 2024 due to injury.
The Giants and Steelers now register as Rodgers’ only obvious options for 2025, barring a retirement at age 41. Pittsburgh was previously considered a favorite to sign the former NFL MVP.
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