The Minnesota Vikings are at a crossroads in 2025, but one thing is clear: the Aaron Rodgers era isn’t happening in Minneapolis. On a special edition of The Real Forno Show, host Tyler Forness and producer Dave Stefano broke down the latest Vikings quarterback chatter, emphatically shutting the door on Rodgers rumors while embracing rookie J.J. McCarthy as the cornerstone of the franchise’s future. Recorded on March 20, 2025—a day late due to personal hiccups like Forness’s foster dog Marzipan’s surgery—the episode offered fans a blend of sharp football analysis, draft talk, and a peek into the team-building brilliance of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Aaron Rodgers: A Door Closed, Not Ajar

The episode kicked off with Forness addressing the swirling speculation about Aaron Rodgers joining the Vikings, a narrative fueled by media insiders like Diana Russini. Reports from Tom Pelissero earlier that day confirmed the Vikings were not pursuing the aging quarterback, a stance Forness believes is definitive barring an unforeseen catastrophe. “I think the door is closed,” Forness said, emphasizing that only a “massive setback” for McCarthy—like a non-contact injury akin to Teddy Bridgewater’s infamous knee dislocation—would reopen it. “Unless J.J. McCarthy suffers something that knocks him out for 2025, which I don’t believe is going to happen, I don’t see Rodgers coming here.”

Forness didn’t mince words about the media’s role in keeping the Rodgers story alive. He suggested it’s less about the Vikings’ intentions and more about clicks and ratings. “It’s about wanting to milk this story for all it’s worth because it drives traffic,” he noted. “Aaron Rodgers, outside of football, is a huge character—an enigma. People want to talk about him.” Producer Dave Stefano echoed the sentiment, hoping Rodgers “just picks the Steelers and we’re done with it.” For Vikings fans, the message was clear: the focus isn’t on a 41-year-old quarterback with a penchant for ayahuasca and conspiracy theories—it’s on the 22-year-old McCarthy.

J.J. McCarthy: The Souped-Up Mustang Ready to Roll

If Rodgers is a relic of the past, J.J. McCarthy is the Vikings’ shiny new ride. Forness leaned heavily on a car metaphor to describe the rookie’s situation, calling it “a souped-up Mustang” handed to a young driver. “They’ve given him arguably the best car for a team starting a young quarterback that I’ve ever seen,” Forness said. With superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Pro Bowl tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, emerging star Jordan Addison, top-five tight end T.J. Hockenson, and a dynamic backfield duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, McCarthy’s supporting cast is elite. Add in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s 34-17 record over three seasons and an “elite defense” led by Brian Flores, and the stage is set.

McCarthy’s preseason performance against the Raiders offered a glimpse of his potential—efficient, proficient, and explosive, per Forness. While the regular season will bring tougher challenges, early signs are promising. “He’s been in the meeting rooms,” Forness shared, citing former Viking Cam Bynum’s comments on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “He’s spent time in the defensive meeting rooms, learning what they’re doing, how to beat it. That’s great.” Stefano highlighted McCarthy’s leadership, noting how he texted every new offensive signee as soon as they agreed to join. “That’s that ‘it’ factor,” Stefano said. “It’s part of the leadership.”

Forness admitted he wasn’t initially sold on McCarthy, preferring Drake Maye in the draft. “I’m not going to say I was right prioritizing Maye over McCarthy,” he conceded, “but it’s trending in the right direction.” Still, he’s come around: “I do believe in McCarthy. This team is set up for him to take that next step to be a superstar. He still has to prove it, but he’s fully capable.”

Jordan Mason: The Trade That Keeps on Giving

A surprise topic of the night was running back Jordan Mason, acquired in a trade Forness initially questioned. “I thought there were better things the Vikings could have used their resources on than trading for an RB2,” he admitted. But after digging into the film and the deal—essentially swapping guard Ed Ingram and dropping 27 spots in the fifth round—Forness was sold. “They gave up literally nothing to do this trade,” he said, praising the modest contract extension (two years, max value $12 million, $7 million guaranteed).

Mason’s on-field prowess sealed the deal. “This dude rules,” Forness gushed after rewatching games, including Mason’s standout performance against the Vikings in Week 2 of 2024. At 5’11” and 223 pounds, Mason’s a “wide zone runner” with “phenomenal feet,” “great vision,” and “great contact balance.” Forness likened his slalom-like cuts to skiing, marveling at how he “torques his body” to slip through gaps. “He can run through you, he’s not going to run around you,” Forness said. “I think he’s a great complement to what Aaron Jones brings.”

Stefano saw the bigger picture: “What it helps is provide that the Vikings can go best player available in the draft.” With Mason locked in, the team isn’t forced to reach for a running back, freeing them to target other needs—or even a luxury pick like running back Ashton Jeanty if he surprisingly falls to 24.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Master Plan

The episode’s deepest dive came with Forness’s analysis of Adofo-Mensah’s team-building strategy, a blend of opportunism and flexibility. On offense, the Vikings splurge on stars—Jefferson’s $35 million AAV (second among receivers), Hockenson’s top-five tight end deal, and Darrisaw’s top-five tackle contract. On defense, it’s a different story. “They didn’t have a single player with a top-10 contract on defense,” Forness noted, citing Sean Borman’s research. Players like Jonathan Greenard (13th among edge rushers) and Byron Murphy Jr. (14th among corners) are well-paid but not elite in cost.

“It’s a defense of parts rather than elite players,” Forness explained. “They’re choosing to pay star power on offense and go for a collective whole approach on defense.” He found it “fascinating” that Adofo-Mensah balked at top-tier defensive contracts—like Christian Wilkins’ $27.5 million AAV—while forking over big bucks for offensive firepower. “Maybe they haven’t found a guy worthy of a top-10 contract yet on defense,” he mused. Stefano suggested a potential exception: “If they trade for Sauce Gardner, he’ll be one of those elite contracts.”

Adofo-Mensah’s market savvy shone through in moves like signing tight end Josh Oliver in 2023 and trading for Mason. “He’s trying to find opportunistic advantages,” Forness said. “He’s not zigging when everyone else is zagging—he’s adapting based on new information.” Stefano framed it as “endurance as a contender”: “They’re going to try to win now, but they want to keep the window way open, way long.”

Draft Talk and Fan Q&A

With the NFL Draft looming, Forness and Stefano fielded fan questions about the Vikings’ plans at pick 24. Forness’s dream target? Alabama linebacker Jihad Campbell. “He’s an incredible three-down linebacker,” he said. “Game-changing linebackers are invaluable.” On offensive lineman Gray Zabel, suggested by a fan, Forness was cautious: “I wouldn’t want to take him at 24. The value’s not right.” He’d prefer trading down to 36 if Zabel’s the target.

Backup quarterback options drew mixed reactions. Stefano floated Jameis Winston—“If KOC could fix him, that’d be cool”—while Forness liked Carson Wentz’s experience, despite locker-room concerns. Late-round running back prospects like Trevor Etienne, RJ Harvey, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt also got shoutouts, with Forness excited about the class’s depth.

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Wrapping Up with SKOL Spirit

As the show wound down, Forness and Stefano thanked their growing audience—nearing 5,500 subscribers—and promised more content, including a Two Old Bloggers episode on Sunday. “Like, comment, subscribe, ring the bell,” Forness urged. “We’ll be back Monday night talking Vikings football.” Stefano closed with a heartfelt “SKOL everyone!”—a rallying cry for a fanbase eager to see McCarthy steer this souped-up roster to glory.

For Vikings fans, this episode was a reassurance: Rodgers is a distraction, McCarthy is the future, and Adofo-Mensah’s blueprint is built to last. Whether it’s a Super Bowl in 2025 or beyond, the pieces are in place—and The Real Forno Show will be there every step of the way.

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Tyler Forness @TheRealForno of Vikings 1st & SKOL @Vikings1stSKOL and A to Z Sports @AtoZSportsNFL, with Dave Stefano @Luft_Krigare producing this Vikings 1st & SKOL production, the @RealFornoShow. Podcasts partnered with Fans First Sports Network @FansFirstSN and its NFL feed @FFSN_NFL.