Aaron Rodgers was probably never signing with the Minnesota Vikings. He said as much ahead of this week's meeting between Pittsburgh and Minnesota, saying that discussions between Rodgers and Kevin O'Connell "never progressed farther than catch-up conversations."
Still, that statement implies conversations did happen, even if they were just casual ones. It's also true that Rodgers took a long, long time to decide to sign with the Steelers. Maybe, just maybe, he was hoping those "catch-up conversations" could progress to something more? (Or, more likely, he was just being Aaron Rodgers.)
Instead, the Vikings entered the 2025 season with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy as the starter. With Sam Darnold gone, McCarthy was essentially just handed the starting job, while Minnesota brought in Carson Wentz in August to back up McCarthy. One ankle sprain later and Wentz was starting in Week 3.
I believe Aaron Rodgers, but Minnesota would have been a better place for him
I'm not trying to clickbait y'all here. Aaron Rodgers said what he said about discussions with the Vikings, and I have no reason not to believe him. The fact that his decision to sign with the Steelers took so long to happen could simply have been because Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers, and stretching out something like that just feels firmly in his wheelhouse.
At the same time, I also believe that a one-year deal in Minnesota would have been the best solution for everyone involved, and Wentz's play is proving that.
Wentz was 14-for-20 for 173 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for the Vikings, leading the team to a 48-10 win over the Bengals.
Rodgers could have been really good in this offense and would have also been better-positioned to make a Super Bowl run than he is in Pittsburgh, where he's played well but doesn't have quite as many dynamic playmakers. A one-year stint in Minnesota would have had two major benefits: First, it would have offered Rodgers a chance to play in one of the best offenses of his career and second, it would have allowed the Vikings to give McCarthy more time.
Signing Aaron Rodgers would've worked out well for the Vikings, too
After missing his rookie season with injury, McCarthy being coronated as the starter without competition this year feels like a move that put Minnesota behind. We saw in the 22-6 loss to the Falcons that McCarthy isn't quite ready to be a big-time NFL quarterback. Signing Rodgers would have given the team a chance to win now while also giving them another year to get McCarthy ready for the big time.
Alas, it didn't work out that way. Now, Wentz is reaping the benefits of the McCarthy injury, which is good for him, but it isn't the best-case scenario for the Vikings. Having Rodgers right now might have the team 3-0, because he wouldn't have struggled like McCarthy did against the Falcons.
So yeah, I don't think Rodgers ever seriously considered signing in Minnesota, but I don't think it's wrong to believe that the best situation for him would have been playing in a KOC offense while McCarthy sat on the bench and bided his time. Pittsburgh could have finally tanked for a young quarterback and everyone would probably be in a better spot at the moment.