The Minnesota Vikings caught a break ahead of its offseason pursuit of quarterback competition for JJ McCarthy, as a report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Saturday, January 17 indicated that Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mike Tomlin announced he was stepping down as Pittsburgh’s head coach after 19 years at the helm following the Steelers’ first-round playoff loss to the Houston Texans. Rodgers chose Pittsburgh after talks with Minnesota last offseason fell through, primarily to play for Tomlin.
Meanwhile, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had the following to say when a reporter asked him during the week whether he wanted McCarthy to be the Vikings’ starter in 2026.
“I don’t know that that’s [pause] — I want the Vikings to achieve our goals. And I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs and do different things like that,” Adofo-Mensah said. “I think he has the character and ability to be the person and do that for our organization. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain, you know, area.”
Head coach Kevin O’Connell also stated the team’s intention to find “competition” for McCarthy in the QB room, though neither he nor Adofo-Mensah was precisely clear on what kind of competition they are seeking for the third-year QB.
However, if Minnesota decides to go with a veteran on a short-term contract, one last ride for Rodgers with a playoff-caliber roster like the one the Vikings can offer makes some sense on both sides.
Aaron Rodgers, Vikings May Connect in 2026 After Near Miss Last Summer
GettyPittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Minnesota spent a week or so seriously considering Rodgers as competition for McCarthy last season, though O’Connell ultimately decided that would not provide the best path forward for McCarthy.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic detailed that time and how/why the Vikings and Rodgers might revisit it on different terms after an injury-plagued and inconsistent season from McCarthy in 2025.
“Rodgers and the Vikings were flirting from across the room last offseason, so there could be some consideration to rekindling those flames, especially if the Vikings want to pause or even halt the JJ McCarthy experiment,” Howe wrote on December 19. “Rodgers’ performance is in steep decline. He won’t carry anyone to the playoffs, but he is still capable of being a valuable contributor on a well-constructed roster.”
Vikings Can Offer Aaron Rodgers Elite WR Justin Jefferson, Top-3 NFL Defense
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rodgers spoke about his future in vague terms following the team’s blowout loss to the Texans in the Wild Card Round of the AFC playoffs last Sunday.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions at this point,” Rodgers said, per CBS Sports. “It was such a fun year. Been a great year overall in my life, and this has been a really good part of that, coming here and being a part of this team. It’s disappointing to be sitting here with the season over.”
Rodgers’ words indicate that he ended the year with a bitter taste on his tongue. And while the Vikings may not be a Super Bowl team with him, they should certainly contend for the postseason with superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and the No. 3-ranked defense in the NFL in 2025.
Vikings Get Good News on Aaron Rodgers as Possible JJ McCarthy Replacement