Aaron Rodgers is doing what Aaron Rodgers does best — dragging things out.
For the first time in his Hall of Fame-worthy career, the 41-year-old ‘enigma‘ is a free agent. And, true to form, he’s making it an ordeal. He did this before his final season with the Packers. He did this before — and after — his infamous darkness retreat.
And now, he’s at it again.
Whether intentionally or not, Rodgers continues to mirror his Green Bay predecessor.
Brett Favre waffled his way out of Green Bay and eventually landed in Minnesota. Now, Rodgers appears to be following the same script, holding teams hostage as he weighs his next move. And while the Jets gave him a relatively soft landing after an utterly disastrous tenure, he’s keeping his options open, with the Giants, Steelers and Vikings reportedly in the mix.
The onus is on Rodgers to make a decision. But, as always, he’s in no rush. And even if it frustrates the Adam Schefters of the world — the same ones he famously told to “lose my number” — Rodgers will take his sweet, sweet time.
But the longer this drags on, the more it seems like history is repeating itself. The Vikings believe they’re a quarterback away from being a legit Super Bowl contender, and according to The Athletic’s Mike Silver and Dianna Russini, Rodgers hopes to be that guy.
The holdup? Head coach Kevin O’Connell.
But he isn’t the only one.
Longtime Vikings’ radio play-by-play voice Paul Allen remains unconvinced. On his KFAN radio show on Wednesday, the 59-year-old Allen expressed skepticism about how Rodgers would fit in Minnesota, arguing that bringing him in would instantly change the team’s identity.
“He becomes the identity of the football team. If you sign Aaron Rodgers, he has become the polarizing identity of your covenant,” Allen said via Minnesota Vikings on SI. “When you bring somebody like that in, it’s not just having Gardner Minshew as your backup. It’s not Skylar Thompson as your backup. It’s Aaron Rodgers, man, and he ain’t coming here to be a backup.”
But you know who would come to Minnesota as a backup? Perhaps Joe Flacco.
Allen floated the idea, though more as a thought exercise than a report. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has mentioned Flacco as an option for the Steelers. Florio also reported that Flacco recently visited the Giants and is “in play” for the Vikings.
“Flacco’s fine. And he’s cheaper. And he’s less hassle,” said Allen. “And he knows how to win. And he still throws the ball well. And you just pumped zillions into your o-line, so supposedly, he shouldn’t be running for his life. And I don’t even know if they like Joe Flacco. I mean, this is all my deduction here. I like Joe Flacco.”
Rodgers might like the idea of Minnesota, but does Minnesota like the idea of Rodgers? That’s the real question. The Vikings have a roster built to win now, but adding a 41-year-old quarterback who commands the spotlight — and the locker room — isn’t something O’Connell should come by lightly.
Meanwhile, Flacco remains the low-drama, low-cost alternative. He’s the kind of guy who won’t hijack a franchise’s identity, won’t hold teams hostage and won’t make this all about him.
But then again, that’s never been Rodgers’ style.