Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers ran his way into the franchise’s and league’s record books on Sunday.
Rodgers dominated with an interception return for a touchdown, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, an additional forced fumble, three tackles, and two pass deflections in Sunday’s 48-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. A free agent acquisition from the Philadelphia Eagles, Rodgers saw it coming.
“I just knew … that once I finally got my shot, whether it was Year 6, Year 10, that my time would come,” Rodgers told reporters afterward. “I knew I was going to be the best Isaiah Rodgers I could be. But I’ve just got to continue. I feel like today wouldn’t matter if I don’t respond next week and continue to keep going.”
Rodgers became the first-ever Vikings defensive player to score two touchdowns in a game. He also became the first player in NFL history to cause two fumbles and return both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns in the same game.
“I was saying all week that I had a message to prove,” Rodgers said. “I was saying that I wanted to play better, and I just wanted to showcase who Isaiah Rodgers is and who Isaiah Rodgers can be.”
Isaiah Rodgers Had Ups and Downs Before the Vikings
Rodgers had a solid career in many ways before Minnesota. He has 125 tackles, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 14 pass deflections, five interceptions, and three touchdowns in his career.
The Indianapolis Colts took him with a sixth-round pick out of UMass in 2020, and Rodgers had varying success with the Colts and then with the Eagles. However, he also had an ACL injury and a suspension due to NFL gambling policy violations during his young career.
Kevin O’Connell Takes Brian Flores’ Input on Isaiah Rodgers
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores nonetheless saw potential in Rodgers, and Flores wanted the team to pursue him in free agency this year. The Vikings signed him to a two-year, $11 million contract.
“I can remember vividly the conversation with Brian Flores about him and the vision for the player,” coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters afterward, “pairing him with [Byron Murphy Jr.] and what we thought that could be like.”
“I don’t want to go through all the time we’ve been together and those types of names, when [Flores] has got that tone in his voice, when he brings it to me and we collectively then collaborate with the personnel side,” O’Connell said. “But Isaiah’s on that list of guys, and the other ones that he’s mentioned have turned out pretty darn well here.”
“And then some of the guys that maybe went elsewhere, those guys have showed up well. So, I think it’s a matter of Flo’s impact and his ability to have vision for players like we’ve seen here with two free agencies now, where there’s been an immediate impact on our team from some of these guys that show up and end up being great Minnesota Vikings for us,” O’Connell concluded.
Through three games, Rodgers has 12 tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.
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