Aaron Jones Reveals Key Similarity He Sees Between J.J. McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers

J.J. McCarthy is entering his first season as an NFL starting quarterback, but Aaron Jones sees one major parallel between him and Aaron Rodgers.

Vikings running back Aaron Jones sees one important similarity between J.J. McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Vikings running back Aaron Jones will be playing alongside a different quarterback for the fourth consecutive season as J.J. McCarthy takes over for Minnesota. After beginning his career in the backfield with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, Jones has played with Jordan Love, Sam Darnold and now McCarthy.

Though a new face is joining Jones in the backfield, the ninth-year back sees one promising parallel between McCarthy and his first quarterback in Rodgers—their IQ. Jones detailed on the Up & Adams Show that when he first came into the NFL, Rodgers was instrumental in teaching him where the blitz was coming from and what to look for pre-snap. Now, Jones seems to be seeing that level of intelligence and attention to detail from McCarthy.

"He's just smart, the way he studies the game," Jones said of McCarthy to Kay Adams. "... The way he goes about himself, the preparation, the way they treat people, it all stems from up here and that drive and you can see it when you step on the field."

"The way he studies the game... the preparation...it all stems from up here" 🧠

Vikings RB Aaron Jones on what QB JJ McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers have in common@heykayadams | @Showtyme_33 | @Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/FQ0uEPyd3w

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 20, 2025

On a talented Vikings team coming off a 14-3 campaign, McCarthy is the lone question mark as the team looks to return to the postseason. Though McCarthy was successful at Michigan and helped them win a national title, he has yet to prove himself at the NFL level after suffering a season-ending injury before his rookie year.

McCarthy, of course, does not compare to Rodgers as he has yet to play a down in the NFL, but it's promising to hear Jones feels he holds a similar football IQ to Rodgers, an all-time great. This doesn't mean that McCarthy won't make a rookie or young quarterback mistake when he finally takes the field on Sep. 8, but ideally, that he'll be able to learn and rebound from them quickly.

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