The truth is in the cold statistics: Aaron Rodgers’ last pass of the 2025 season was the No. 6 pick to Houston’s Calen Bullock with 2:39 left in the AFC wild-card round. That miscue didn’t cost Pittsburgh a win; the No. 6 pick just improved Houston’s winning percentage from 24-6 to 30-6.
Considering the score, the only real interesting element of this shot is whether it was the last shot of Rodgers’ career. Rodgers is officially a free agent after one year in Pittsburgh, and while his teammates are supportive of the idea of ​​bringing him back, he’s not ready to commit.
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“I didn’t set a deadline,” Rodgers told Pat McAfee on Wednesday. “There was no contract offer or anything, so I had nothing to argue with.”
That could be because while Pittsburgh is a comfortable environment for him, there may be a better place in a familiar division: Minnesota.
As Rodgers considers his next move, here are a few questions to help determine whether a move to the Vikings is right for him.
Does Rodgers really want to take the No. 6 pick?
It’s more of a mindset issue than anything else, and gosh, when you’ve racked up a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, maybe a throw doesn’t even enter the equation. Still, picking a No. 6 in your last career career would be a tough way to end it. (He also ended his Packers career with an interception.)
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Was Rodgers good last year?
A bit…? Watching Aaron Rodgers in 2025 is like watching Guns N’ Roses in 2025… sure, there are flashes and echoes of the old Powers and Games, but mostly it’s a light, comfortable nostalgia. That said, seeing Rodgers in a clutch moment is like hearing Slash play the opening chords of “Paradise City” — it just feels like correctyou know? Rodgers led the Steelers to four wins in their final five games. The only anomaly in that game was the complete failure against Cleveland, where Rodgers seemed more focused on avoiding becoming a Myles Garrett trophy than actually winning the game. Rodgers didn’t pass for more than 300 yards in any game last season, but the closest he came was in crucial games against Baltimore in Weeks 16 and 18. This is nothing.
How much of Rodgers’ performance with the Steelers was because of Mike Tomlin?
When Rodgers arrived in Pittsburgh last June for the first black and gold snaps, Rodgers said he was now a Steeler not only because of the team’s tradition, but also because of then-head coach Mike Tomlin. “It starts with Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers said. “I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.” But Tomlin is no longer in Pittsburgh, and the man who continues to work is a familiar face to Rodgers.
Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay. (Photo: Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Do Rodgers and Mike McCarthy Really Want to Reunite?
To put it politely, Rodgers and new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy have a history. Yes, they won a Super Bowl together while in Green Bay, but the lows between the two were also reportedly pretty low. Rodgers specifically spoke highly of McCarthy and their relationship in an interview with McAfee, and said there is still a place for old-school coaches like McCarthy in the NFL. Would Rogers — or, for that matter, McCarthy — want to jump back into bed together?
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Are Rodgers and Kevin O’Connell willing to give it a try?
Rodgers has a decades-long friendship with Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell, and this time last year the two discussed the possibility of a one-year ride. “We’ve had a lot of great conversations about it,” O’Connell told KFAN last June, “but the conversation has always been about what’s best, not only for the Minnesota Vikings right now, but for the future.” In theory, that future is JJ McCarthy. More on that later. So could Rodgers and O’Connell try “One Last Job” together?
Do the Vikings want a bridge quarterback?
Oddly enough, the X-factor in Rodgers’ path to Minnesota is Kyler Murray. Now that Murray is clearly on the market (officially in a few days), he’s catapulted to the top of a not-especially-inspiring group of free-agent and draft-eligible quarterbacks. So it comes down to a philosophical question in Minnesota: quarterback of the future, or quarterback of the future Prepare For the future?
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Do the Vikings need this particular veteran answer at quarterback?
You know the sad story of the Minnesota quarterback. The Vikings put Sam Darnold in uniform in 2024 and selected JJ McCarthy in 2025. McCarthy has more interceptions than touchdowns in 2025 (when he’s on the field), while Darnold ends up being the last-down quarterback and holding Lombardi in check last month. The less said about Max Brosmer the better. Is it worth it for Rodgers to spend a season helping McCarthy adjust to the NFL… or make Minnesota wait for another draft? Maybe.
Wouldn’t it be nice to throw the ball to Justin Jefferson?
IMHO, the Pittsburgh receiving corps includes DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth…they are not Justin Jefferson. Sure, Rodgers doesn’t throw as far as he did earlier in his career, but with Jefferson on the other end, he doesn’t need to. This must be an enticing prospect for the purple season.
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Why not close off Favre’s career path?
It’s always been lurking there, Brett Favre’s station: winning a ring in Green Bay, donning a different color of green in New York, then ending up in Minnesota. Rodgers was sidetracked from his path to Pittsburgh, but he now has a chance to replicate the most iconic line in sports history: “How could we miss you if you weren’t gone?” As long as he doesn’t repeat Favre’s last throw in Minnesota – yes, the interception – everything will be fine.
Rodgers doesn’t really have a timetable for a decision, although the Steelers and Vikings will likely both want to nail down their quarterback positions before the draft. The Kyler Murray factor could speed up the schedule a bit. No matter which path he takes—Pittsburgh, Minnesota or the podcast studio—Rogers will be watching.
