Vikings RB Alexander Mattison Is Very Happy to See Aaron Rodgers Leave the NFC North
Josh Frey
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Four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers is no longer the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, meaning the 30-year nightmare of Hall of Fame QB play in cheese land may finally be over, unless Jordan Love can repeat the performances of Brett Favre and Rodgers.
When Rodgers was traded to the Jets after multiple years of rumors surrounding the status of the QB, it was likely a sigh of relief for just about every player on the other three teams in the NFC North. This includes Vikings RB Alexander Mattison, who recently talked about this upcoming season in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
“I’m pretty happy, to say the least. He definitely is one of those guys that can just terrorize a division. To see him gone, for us, is kind of like a breath of fresh air,” Mattison said. “You don’t want to say that the other quarterback is not good or anything like that, but you just understand what you’re getting with such a great player with Aaron Rodgers. It just makes a whole team play better. For him to have gone to another team outside of our division, it definitely helps us understand that at least we can say he’s gone. He’s out of there.”
Rodgers went 17-11-1 against the Vikings over his career, but somehow, that is his worst record against an NFC North opponent. He terrorized the Chicago Bears to the tune of a 24-5 record, making good on his statement that he owned the franchise and its fans. He also went 18-8 against the Detroit Lions, meaning he is 59-24-1 overall against the division. That is a 17-game pace of about 12-5.
Mattison also discussed the upcoming season with the Vikings, and what he hopes to provide for the team as the starting running back now that he is set to replace Dalvin Cook.
“I’m hoping to make as much of an impact as he did if not, you know, strive to do even more. I think that I definitely am prepared for this opportunity in front of me, so just try not to apply too much pressure to myself or go out there and just be the best version of that I can be to try and help this team get to a Super Bowl.”
Mattison certainly has big shoes to fill, considering Cook was a four-time Pro Bowler, who recorded 1100+ yards rushing in each of the last four seasons. He will have some help along the way, though. Ty Chandler was a talented player during his collegiate career, and while he didn’t get many opportunities during his rookie season because of Cook’s presence, he should have more of a role in the offense this year.
Additionally, rookie DeWayne McBride was a bell cow RB for UAB throughout his collegiate career, and with his ability to break tackles and burst through holes in the offensive line, he could be a playmaker in the backfield, particularly near the goal line. Kene Nwangwu remains a return specialist, but it can’t be ruled out that he gets a few more touches this year as well.
Training camp for the rookies begins on Sunday with veterans heading to Eagan on July 25th.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.