DK: Worth wondering why no one else wants Rodgers?
The Vikings are, by every conceivable definition, a Super Bowl contender. They just went 14-3 in 2024, losing twice to the 15-2 Lions and once to the 10-7 Rams, and they're founded on a bona fide franchise fixture in a 25-year-old Justin Jefferson.
Also and relevant, they opted to part ways at season's end with their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, leaving in his wake only J.J. McCarthy, who didn't take a solitary snap as a rookie because of a torn knee ligament.
Get this: Minnesota management never, at any point this offseason, called Aaron Rodgers.
He called them.
It was about a month ago, as Kevin O'Connell, the head coach, might've inadvertently relayed to reporters this week at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., in explaining why the Vikings at least took the call: "Aaron's a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we've all had so much respect for competing against him. And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to."
That he reached out to. Ouch.
It went nowhere. The Vikings found a way, within days, to make public that they're sticking with McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick out of Michigan in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that they had no intent to sign Rodgers.
Kinda clear where I'm heading with this, right?
The only teams left in the semi-running for Rodgers after that rejection were, of course, the Steelers and Giants. And the Giants would do what the two New Jersey teams always do and turned to another old quarterback, Russell Wilson, who wasn't wanted back by the Steelers under any circumstance, as I reported exclusively back in January. It's worth emphasizing, too, that the Giants chose Wilson over Rodgers. That was the team's decision, not Rodgers'.
And the Jets, lest I forget East Rutherford's other tenant, decided at the flip of the calendar they didn't want Rodgers back after two seasons of life with him. They told him that, then wrapped up Justin Fields at the opening of free agency. That, too, was all the team's decision. They didn't want Rodgers before they did want Fields.
Which leaves only the Steelers, who still somehow, in every public pronouncement regarding Rodgers, have come across -- Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, even Art Rooney -- like starstruck teens anticipating their chance to ... I don't know, rush the stage or something.
Ugh.
So here's how this'll all roll out now: Rodgers will surprise no one by announcing that he's signed with the Steelers in the most self-serving manner possible, next Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena as part of some live show that his pal, ESPN's Pat McAfee, will put on there. Which would mean that Rodgers will have, in essence, prioritized a cheesy, forgotten-in-24-hours publicity stunt over treating a venerable franchise and its fan base with a modicum of respect.
On the upside, it'll also provide everyone with a sneak peek at how much that sort of stuff's always meant to Rodgers and, within that, how seriously he'll be taking the one-stop detour he'll bestow upon the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh on his way to Canton.
Again, ugh.
This makes no sense. Not from the football perspective, not from the personal perspective, and certainly not from any Super Bowl perspective, since these Steelers aren't those Vikings.
But hey, here's hoping they're all hooked up with front-row seats for the big show.
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THE ASYLUM
Dejan Kovacevic
7:22 am - 04.03.2025DowntownDK: Worth wondering why no one else wants Rodgers?
The Vikings are, by every conceivable definition, a Super Bowl contender. They just went 14-3 in 2024, losing twice to the 15-2 Lions and once to the 10-7 Rams, and they're founded on a bona fide franchise fixture in a 25-year-old Justin Jefferson.
Also and relevant, they opted to part ways at season's end with their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, leaving in his wake only J.J. McCarthy, who didn't take a solitary snap as a rookie because of a torn knee ligament.
Get this: Minnesota management never, at any point this offseason, called Aaron Rodgers.
He called them.
It was about a month ago, as Kevin O'Connell, the head coach, might've inadvertently relayed to reporters this week at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., in explaining why the Vikings at least took the call: "Aaron's a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we've all had so much respect for competing against him. And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to."
That he reached out to. Ouch.
It went nowhere. The Vikings found a way, within days, to make public that they're sticking with McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick out of Michigan in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that they had no intent to sign Rodgers.
Kinda clear where I'm heading with this, right?
The only teams left in the semi-running for Rodgers after that rejection were, of course, the Steelers and Giants. And the Giants would do what the two New Jersey teams always do and turned to another old quarterback, Russell Wilson, who wasn't wanted back by the Steelers under any circumstance, as I reported exclusively back in January. It's worth emphasizing, too, that the Giants chose Wilson over Rodgers. That was the team's decision, not Rodgers'.
And the Jets, lest I forget East Rutherford's other tenant, decided at the flip of the calendar they didn't want Rodgers back after two seasons of life with him. They told him that, then wrapped up Justin Fields at the opening of free agency. That, too, was all the team's decision. They didn't want Rodgers before they did want Fields.
Which leaves only the Steelers, who still somehow, in every public pronouncement regarding Rodgers, have come across -- Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, even Art Rooney -- like starstruck teens anticipating their chance to ... I don't know, rush the stage or something.
Ugh.
So here's how this'll all roll out now: Rodgers will surprise no one by announcing that he's signed with the Steelers in the most self-serving manner possible, next Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena as part of some live show that his pal, ESPN's Pat McAfee, will put on there. Which would mean that Rodgers will have, in essence, prioritized a cheesy, forgotten-in-24-hours publicity stunt over treating a venerable franchise and its fan base with a modicum of respect.
On the upside, it'll also provide everyone with a sneak peek at how much that sort of stuff's always meant to Rodgers and, within that, how seriously he'll be taking the one-stop detour he'll bestow upon the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh on his way to Canton.
Again, ugh.
This makes no sense. Not from the football perspective, not from the personal perspective, and certainly not from any Super Bowl perspective, since these Steelers aren't those Vikings.
But hey, here's hoping they're all hooked up with front-row seats for the big show.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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