The Minnesota Vikings have a tough question at quarterback for the 2026 season. Do they need someone to push JJ McCarthy? A Steelers insider fueled the Aaron Rodgers to the Vikings buzz with a prediction.
Rodgers is as close to moving on to the Vikings as he is to retirement, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
“Again, trying to predict what Rodgers will do is a fool’s errand — but we’ll do it anyway! It sure seems like he’s growing tired of the spotlight. My best guess — and it’s nothing more than a guess: A 40 percent chance he retires, 35 percent chance he plays for the Vikings, and a 25 percent shot he’s back with the Steelers.”
Would the Vikings cast their net toward QB Aaron Rodgers?
The Vikings banked on McCarthy being that guy when they parted ways with Sam Darnold. And now they must watch as Darnold has moved to within one game of the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, McCarthy offered a very discouraging 10-game sample size in 2025. He completed only 57.6% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and an unsightly 12 interceptions.
One thing is Rodgers doesn’t seem fully committed to retirement, according to a post on X by DeFabo.
“Listen, I’m thinking about this week, but obviously I’m 42 years old, and I’m on a one-year deal, so you know what the situation is,” Rodgers said. “Whenever the season ends, I’ll be a free agent, so that will give me a lot of options, if I still want to play … I mean, not a lot of options, but there’ll be options, I would think maybe one or two if I decide I still want to play.”
It seems unlikely Rodgers would return to the Steelers. The chance to play for Mike Tomlin was a key point in going to Pittsburgh, according to Steelers owner Art Rooney II.
“Aaron came here to play for Mike,” Rooney II said. “I think it will most likely affect his decision.”
Other possible options other than the Vikings don’t seem to make much sense. The Athletic mentioned the Texans, but they have CJ Stroud. And with three straight playoff appearances, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to give up on him just yet.
Another mention was the Dolphins. But that organization is a mess. It seems like something Rodgers would avoid at all costs.
So, perhaps it’s down to Vikings or retirement.
