The Green Bay Packers made a controversial choice in the spring of 2005. Despite having Brett Favre, coming off consecutive 30+ touchdown seasons, then-general manager Ted Thompson selected quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in the NFL Draft after the California prospect slipped down the board.
Fast forward 15 years, and current general manager Brian Gutekunst made a similar move. Despite having Rodgers, a two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, he selected Utah State’s Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, signaling a future shift for the team.
After Favre retired following the 2007 season, he changed his mind and told the Packers he wanted to return. Green Bay welcomed him back but offered him the backup role behind Rodgers. Naturally, Favre rejected that, leading to a trade to the New York Jets. The rest is history—Favre played one season in New York before retiring again, only to come back and join the Minnesota Vikings.
He played two seasons with the Vikings, reaching the NFC Championship Game in his first year but struggling in his second. Favre ultimately retired for good after the 2010 season.
Similarly, although not exactly the same, the Packers traded Rodgers to the Jets after the 2022 season. He spent two tough years in New York, and now reports suggest that new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey don’t view him as a good fit for their team culture. If these reports are accurate, and Rodgers wants to continue his career in 2025, Packers fans have an idea of where he might end up next.
Last offseason, the Minnesota Vikings decided to part ways with long-time quarterback Kirk Cousins. Their plan was to draft a quarterback, which they did in JJ McCarthy, and to sign a veteran to mentor him, which they did by bringing in Sam Darnold.
However, things don’t always go as planned.
McCarthy tore his ACL over the summer, missing his entire rookie season, while Darnold had a career year, posting a 66.2% completion rate, 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a passer rating of 102.9.
Though the Vikings haven’t yet decided on their quarterback situation for the upcoming season, it’s possible that Darnold will be allowed to leave in free agency, as McCarthy was drafted as the team’s future. If that happens, Packers fans believe Rodgers could join Minnesota as a bridge quarterback to help guide McCarthy’s development.