Julian Edelman claims Aaron Rodgers is emulating Brett Favre's antics after failed Vikings chase

Julian Edelman sees the writing on the wall for Aaron Rodgers, and he has seen this story play out before.

On The Herd this week, the former New England Patriots receiver drew sharp comparisons between Rodgers and his predecessor, Brett Favre, pointing to the 41-year-old’s recent behavior and offseason headlines. According to Edelman, Rodgers is walking a path that looks eerily familiar.

“Let’s rewind back to when Aaron Rodgers was a young, spry quarterback,” Edelman said.

“There was a quarterback in his room that was playing the antics that Aaron Rodgers is literally playing now. He picked up a lot of the habits of Brett Favre. … He’s doing the same things Brett Favre did at the end of his career.”

Edelman’s comments come after the Minnesota Vikings reportedly chose not to pursue Rodgers this offseason, despite some early chatter.

The team instead remains committed to 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who missed his rookie season due to injury but is now being groomed as the starter under coach Kevin O’Connell.

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Minnesota Vikings opt for youth, steer clear of distractions

Edelman made it clear that he supports the Vikings’ decision to go all in on McCarthy rather than introduce the uncertainty and media circus Aaron Rodgers attracts.

“You have a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy with a quarterback genius coach in Kevin O’Connell,” Edelman said.

“And you just want to throw in Aaron Rodgers? You’re also getting all the other noise that comes with Aaron Rodgers, which is a lot of distraction.”

After spending a rough 2023 NFL season with the New York Jets, Rodgers started all 17 games in 2024 but led the team to just a 5–12 record despite the addition of wide receiver Davante Adams.

Earlier this month, the Jets released Rodgers, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. He has since been linked to a few teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, but no deal has materialized.

The comparison to Favre isn’t just symbolic. After Rodgers replaced Favre in Green Bay, the Hall of Famer famously bounced from the Jets to the Vikings in the final years of his career, a path Rodgers seems to be echoing in both movement and headlines.

Whether Rodgers returns in 2025 or calls it a career remains to be seen. But if Edelman’s analysis is on point, teams may be wary of inheriting the full “Rodgers experience,” especially if they’re already developing the next generation under center.