Minnesota Vikings Out on Aaron Rodgers… For Now

The Minnesota Vikings have had the most productive offseason of any team in the NFL, through the first week of NFL free agency. Nobody wants to talk about any of the interior offensive or defensive linemen they added to the trenches or the defensive backs they are bringing back in the secondary.

Instead, all eyes have been on the Vikings’ reported interest in possibly adding Aaron Rodgers to the 2025 roster. Rodgers + Minnesota rumors started running wild when reports broke that the Vikings were the 4X MVP‘s preferred destination in free agency.

According to the most recent reports, the final decision on whether or not to bring in Rodgers rested with head coach and QB whisperer, Kevin O’Connell, who is really good friends with the future 1st ballot Hall of Famer. Last we heard, prior to Wednesday morning, was that KOC was strongly considering Rodgers in 2025.

Minnesota Vikings out on Aaron Rodgers…?

Then, before most Minnesota Vikings fans were out of bed this morning, Tom Pelissero logged onto X, where he tweeted what felt like a resolution on the Vikings + Rodgers rumors. According to the “one of us” NFL Network insider, the Vikings have rejected multiple trade offers on McCarthy.

As of this morning, per Pelissero, the Vikings are sticking with their redshirt rookie out of Michigan, and moving on from Aaron Rodgers. In his tweet, Tom reports that Minnesota still “plans to add a veteran” but that “they’re not pursuing Aaron Rodgers at this time”, before ending his tweet with “McCarthy now enters the offseason as QB1”.

The #Vikings have rejected multiple trade calls on J.J. McCarthy, telling other teams they’re moving forward with him as their quarterback, sources say.

The team plans to add a veteran. But they’re not pursuing Aaron Rodgers at this time. McCarthy now enters the offseason as… pic.twitter.com/oPf6DIvQpj

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 19, 2025

Last we heard, the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants were waiting on Rodgers, who was waiting on the Vikings, who were waiting on their head coach and QB whisperer to make the ultimate decision on who will play quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025.

Was the 39-year-old head coach going to completely blow up the plans of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, since 2022. When he arrived in Eagan three years ago, the forward-thinking GM made no secret about his plans to build an incredibly talented roster around a 1st round rookie QB contract, in hopes of opening an early Super Bowl window, with a cheap, but talented QB1.

Related: Minnesota Vikings in Contact with Another Veteran QB

After Pelissero’s tweet, it appeared we had our final answer. the Vikings were going with McCarthy, meaning we can all sleep soundly knowing who our starting quarterback is for 2025, right? Well, not so fast…

Vikings not completely out on Rodgers…?

Did you notice the caveat in Pelissero’s tweet… “[the Vikings are] not pursuing Rodgers at this time“. As it turns out, that phrasing was very much intentional. About 40 minutes after Tom’s report, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini — who has been very much driving the Aaron Rodgers to Minnesota Vikings bus over the past week — dropped her own updated A-Rodg report. Her message: Don’t give up on Rodgers + Vikings just yet…

According to Russini, the Vikings are not ending their possible pursuit of Rodgers. They’ve decided, instead, that they aren’t ready to commit to any veteran QB, at this time. She claims that KOC wants to see how McCarthy progresses this spring, before pulling the trigger on what type of veteran quarterback to pair with him in 2025.

In the meantime, if that means Rodgers finds a new home elsewhere, so be it. But if Aaron is willing to wait for the Minnesota Vikings, something he clearly seems fine doing, it sounds like the organization plans to revisit the possibility of signing the 41-year-old infamous quarterback this summer.

The Vikings have strongly considered and will continue to monitor Aaron Rodgers as an option, but they’re not ready to commit at this point in the offseason, per sources. They understand this could lead to him signing elsewhere or retiring.
J.J. McCarthy’s spring will be key. pic.twitter.com/LrRajP4aNg

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 19, 2025

I love this. Yes, the Minnesota Vikings have always had the power in negotiations with Aaron Rodgers. He wants to be here, because it is easily the best situation for one of the best QBs in NFL history to end his HOF career.

MN Vikings taking control of their QB situation

But this tells him and the rest of the league that the Vikings do not feel like they need Rodgers under center, to be a good football team in 2025. If he wants to get one last payday and control everything around him, he needs to sign with Pittsburgh or New York (Giants).

Related: Minnesota Vikings Hire Former NFL QB as Defensive Assistant

If he really wants to wear purple, then he will wait patiently. And when the time comes later this summer, if the Minnesota Vikings do re-dial his line, he’ll know that signing with the Vikings means doing so on their terms. That includes the money, the culture and any high-level decision making within the organization.

In my view, this gives the Vikings the best of both worlds. Rodgers isn’t in any hurry to sign with other teams, so he’ll wait. Meanwhile, they can get a better idea of whether or not JJ McCarthy is ready to take the reigns. If he impresses over the next month or two, they can leave Aaron on “Read”. If not, then the 4X MVP will be waiting on their call.