The Minnesota Vikings are considering adding Aaron Rodgers to their QB room, which could create an unpredictable dynamic with second-year signal caller J.J. McCarthy.
In February 2024, approximately one month after McCarthy won a National Championship with Michigan and a little less than three months before the Vikings selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL draft, Rodgers appeared on episode #2099 of “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
During a long-form interview that lasted nearly two and a half hours, Rodgers made one specific comment that caught McCarthy’s ear.
“You stand for something,” Rodgers said on February 6, 2024. “You stand courageously for what you believe in, or the opposite side of that is either saying nothing or being a coward.”
Soon after, McCarthy shared that clip of the podcast to his Instagram story, including a two-word caption: “Goat Human 🐐.”
Analyst Expected J.J. McCarthy to Ask Vikings for Trade if Team Extended Sam Darnold
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
It is clear that, at least as of 13 months ago, McCarthy held Rodgers in high regard. However, how McCarthy is handling the threat to his role as the starting QB of the 14-3 Vikings remains unclear.
McCarthy expressed a voracious appetite to get onto the field during a pre-Super Bowl interview circuit in the context of watching rookie peers like Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have playoff-level success with the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos, respectively.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk spoke with Paul Allen of KFAN on March 5, during which he predicted McCarthy would ask out of Minnesota if the Vikings ultimately agreed to a contract extension with 2024 starter Sam Darnold.
“I thought maybe they would tag and trade him, tag him and keep him for a year. They might still keep him,” Florio said. “Would it be a one-year deal? Two years or longer? And if it’s two years, that becomes a problem — at least from J.J. McCarthy’s perspective. Because if they commit to Darnold for two years, I predict J.J. McCarthy is going to ask for a trade.”
Vikings May Risk Long-Term Relationship With J.J. McCarthy if They Sign Aaron Rodgers
GettyFree agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Darnold ultimately got north of $100 million from the Seattle Seahawks. Minnesota also let Daniel Jones depart for the Indianapolis Colts rather than match his one-year, $14 million deal.
That appeared to indicate Minnesota’s plan to elevate McCarthy to the starting lineup this season, even though he has yet to take a regular-season snap and the roster around him is arguably Super Bowl-caliber already.
But then on Friday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic broke the news that Rodgers will hold off on a decision between joining the Pittsburgh Steelers or New York Giants until Minnesota decides whether it wants to bring him in on a short-term contract in an attempt to make a run at a title next season.
“Here’s what you need to know,” Russini wrote on X. “The Vikings are having discussions about what they want to do at quarterback and if they want Rodgers. Rodgers is giving them time and waiting to hear from Minnesota. The Vikings have yet to make a decision. We all wait.”
McCarthy’s respect for Rodgers as a player and person should help with the transition if Minnesota decides to bring the 41-year-old QB in, but how it might complicate the team’s relationship with its supposed franchise quarterback in McCarthy will be hard for anyone to predict.
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