Vikings’ Isaiah Rodgers Makes NFL History Against Bengals

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers proved himself to be one of the team’s best signings of the 2025 offseason.

A rotational backup for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles a season ago, Rodgers signed a two-year deal to step into a starting role in Brian Flores’ defense in Minnesota.

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Rodgers proved his worth in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, making NFL history in helping the Vikings take a commanding 34-3 lead at halftime.

In Sunday’s game, Rodgers became the first player with a pick-six, a fumble return touchdown and two forced fumbles in a single game — all of which he did in the first half.

Midway through the first quarter, Rodgers corralled a pass from Bengals quarterback Jake Browning that was tipped by safety Harrison Smith. He raced down the sidelines for an 87-yard interception return to put the Vikings ahead by 14 points.

With less than two minutes remaining in the half, Rodgers struck again. He punched the ball out of Noah Fant’s arms and finished with a 66-yard scoop and score.

Rodgers forced another fumble on Ja’Marr Chase, which amused Chase’s former LSU teammate, Justin Jefferson.

Rodgers’ first-half outburst is arguably one of the most dominant performances by a defensive player in NFL history. Rodgers’ 157 return yards on his two scores is more than either offense mustered in the first half. His efforts helped the Vikings tie a franchise record for the largest halftime lead.

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The fifth-year cornerback is a shoo-in for NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance and is the team’s current leader in total touchdowns, given Minnesota’s offense’s slow start to the season.

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