For nearly two decades, Aaron Rodgers was the immovable force of the NFC North. No matter how many challengers emerged—whether it was the Vikings, Bears, or Lions—his presence alone tilted the division in Green Bay’s favor. The mere thought of him wearing a different shade of green or purple or black with the gold would have once been unthinkable, a betrayal of the highest order. But in today’s NFL, loyalty takes a backseat to opportunity.

Now, after a turbulent stint with the Jets, Rodgers finds himself at a crossroads. His next move could reshape the league’s power balance once again. And with a $4.65 billion franchise reportedly circling, the idea of A-Rod suiting up for a former division rival suddenly doesn’t seem so crazy.

“GOAT Human,” Vikings QB JJ McCarthy praised Aaron Rodgers on March 13. He also shared a video of A-Rod from Joe Rogan’s podcast in which the veteran talked about the importance of standing up for what you believe in. It was the surface level of what he endured last year at the NY Jets. He was in an all-out war with HC Robert Saleh, the owner Woody Johnson, and NFL analysts. But he is a free agent now. Other teams are coming up with offers. One of the most enticing ones is reportedly from the $4.65 billion franchise, the Vikings.

2022 was the year of change for the quarterback and the NFC North side. A-Rod was sensing a wave of change at the Packers while Walmart heir Rob Walton made the highest deal for any sports team at $4.65 billion. Things haven’t been good. While the Vikings couldn’t reach the Super Bowl, A-Rod couldn’t take the Jets into the playoffs. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler cited a Vikings source to claim that the team has an interest in the veteran signal caller. But they will not push over the limit for Aaron Rodgers as they are committed to JJ McCarthy as their main man under center.

The first-round pick in the 2024 draft didn’t get enough chances last season. But they have traded Sam Darnold to the Seahawks this year. The stage is set for the Michigan prodigy to set the league on fire. Meanwhile, A-Rod is also silent. That’s unlike his natural character. We know he is a vocal leader.

Aaron Rodgers is also reportedly considering offers from the Giants and Steelers. The Giants also need a quarterback, especially after Daniel Jones left the franchise mid-season in 2024. They finished a disastrous 3-14 last year. The Black and the Gold had a great head start, but they couldn’t keep the momentum. After losing the final 4 games of the regular season, it was a disappointing end to their season, losing the wildcard game against the Ravens 14-28.

It forced HC Mike Tomlin to play the catch up game. He believed that Justin Fields will be their future. Little did he know that he would be forced to make contingency plans.

Steelers forced to find Aaron Rodgers backup

One executive from the Black and the Gold building revealed that Russell Wilson and Tomlin had a shaky relationship. So they let Russ walk into free agency. Amid the drama, they pushed themselves into a corner by also letting Fields walk to the NY Jets. Now Aaron Rodgers isn’t ready to commit. The offer has reportedly already been made. But he wants to explore all options before signing any deal. So, Mike Tomlin had to quietly bring back another quarterback.

Following the 2023 season, after 6 years with the franchise, they released the QB Mason Rudolph into free agency. The Titans poached him on a 1-year deal. But with things turning into a mess, the Steelers decided to bring him back on a 2-year $8 million deal with $4.5 million guaranteed. In 7 years in the NFL, he has played 29 games (18 as a starter) with a 9-8 record, 437 of 686 passes completed (63.7% completion rate) for 4,615 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.

That’s well short of the fans’ expectations to fill the void left by Russell Wilson. But can Mike Tomlin turn around the franchise’s future? Aaron Rodgers’ former teammate James Jones blamed the HC for their poor state in the free agency. A lot hinges on the 41-year-old now. Despite bringing in DK Metcalf, unless the Steelers add more proven firepower, things could be hard for them in the coming season.