How Aaron Rodgers can help Mike Zimmer keep his job with the Vikings

If Aaron Rodgers departs from the Green Bay Packers next year, it could allow Mike Zimmer to get one last chance with the Minnesota Vikings.

During his tenure as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Mike Zimmer has had deal with the annoying greatness of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But in 2022, this annual battle between Rodgers and Zimmer could come to an end.

After rumors floated around during the majority of the 2021 offseason about Rodgers’ desire to leave the Packers, the All-Pro quarterback eventually decided to return to Green Bay for at least one more year.

However, Rodgers‘ choice to return this season is believed to be in part due to the Packers agreeing to consider trading him in 2022. If a departure from Green Bay actually happens for the quarterback, few might be happier than Zimmer.

How Aaron Rodgers leaving the Green Bay Packers could keep Mike Zimmer with the Minnesota Vikings

During the latest episode of “The Viking Age Podcast“, TVA’s Elliott Knopp was asked at the 20:18 mark if Zimmer will still be the head coach of the Vikings for the 2022 season.

Knopp began his answer by saying if Minnesota ends up finishing the 2021 campaign with a record close to .500, that’s probably not going to be enough for the team to keep Zimmer around for another year.

However, Knopp then talked about a scenario that could result in the Vikings giving their current head coach one more shot in 2022, even if this season doesn’t go as planned.

"“With the uncertainty going on with Aaron Rodgers, [Minnesota] might give [Zimmer] one more year. They might give him one more year, especially if Aaron Rodgers isn’t back and say, ‘hey listen, you either claim the [NFC North] this year or you’re gone.'”"

This is a scenario that not very many people have brought up when they talk about the future of Zimmer in the Twin Cities.

Ideally, the Vikings would’ve liked for their head coach to build a team that could consistently beat Rodgers and the Packers. But if waiting for one of the greatest NFL players of all-time to leave the division is what it takes for Zimmer to help Minnesota reach their goals, then that might be something the team’s owners are willing to take a chance on.

The one thing about this scenario though is that the Vikings probably aren’t going to want to wait around for multiple months after the season for Rodgers to decide if he wants to leave Green Bay or not.

If Minnesota is going to consider firing Zimmer after the 2021 campaign and Rodgers’ decision is going to play a factor in their choice, they will likely have to find out if the quarterback is sticking with the Packers in 2022 before, or shortly after, the end of the current season.