PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The NFC North was one of the NFL's most competitive divisions last season with three teams in the playoffs. It could be one of the most fascinating this season if somehow Aaron Rodgers ends up with the Minnesota Vikings.
Throw in a pot-stirring comment from new Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson about his success against the Green Bay Packers during his tenure as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, and what a division it could be in 2025.
The Vikings had discussions this offseason about bringing in Rodgers, who played for the Packers from 2005-22 and was released by the New York Jets earlier this offseason.
"It would be a hell of a story, wouldn't it?" Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday at the NFL annual meeting.
"There's great players on every team, so if it works out, it works out. It's not something that I'm going to sit there and constantly think about. Sure, you think about it the week of when you're playing somebody. But if it works out, great for them."
The Vikings would have to change directions after coach Kevin O'Connell said this week that the team has a plan in place with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback despite their conversations with Rodgers. At this point, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only other team currently in play for Rodgers.
"Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we've all had so much respect for competing against him and he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like," O'Connell said Monday. "And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to."
LaFleur got more questions (two) about Rodgers on Tuesday than O'Connell (none) during their sessions with reporters at the league meeting.
Even if Rodgers doesn't land in his old division, there's some added spice between longtime rivals Green Bay and Chicago after Johnson took a shot at LaFleur during his introductory press conference with the Bears, saying he "kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year" when he was with the Lions.
"I'm sure he's playing to the fans a little bit," LaFleur said Tuesday. "It is what it is. I'm not gonna lose too much sleep over that."
The Bears were the only team in the division not to make the playoffs last season, but perhaps Johnson's arrival in Chicago will shift the balance of power in the NFC North.
"Well we're about to find out, right?" LaFleur said. "I think he's a guy, he's obviously a very good football coach, so we'll see how he does."
ESPN Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
