Vikings' Isaiah Rodgers dominates Bengals in historic first half

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the clock ticked down before halftime at U.S. Bank Stadium, a group of Minnesota Vikings defenders gathered around cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and waved their hands up and down, as if they were cooling him off with hand-held fans.

Rodgers sat on the bench, trying to catch his breath after one of the most impressive halves of defensive football in NFL history.

Rodgers became the first player ever to return an interception for a touchdown, return a fumble for a touchdown and force two fumbles in a single game. And Rodgers, a free agent acquisition in his first season as a full-time NFL starter, did it in the first half to help the Vikings build a 34-3 halftime lead over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2020, Rodgers spent three seasons as a reserve and then was suspended for the 2023 season after violating the NFL's gambling policy. He returned in 2024 as a part-time player with the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Vikings made him a priority free agent this spring at the suggestion of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who had first noticed Rodgers as a college player at the University of Massachusetts.

Flores thought Rodgers would fit well into his aggressive defensive scheme, and Rodgers proved that in his third start Sunday. His onslaught began in the first quarter, when he intercepted a Jake Browning pass that had been tipped by safety Harrison Smith and sprinted 87 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, he punched the ball out of the hands of Bengals tight end Noah Fant's hands, recovered it on his own and then stood up and ran 66 yards for his second touchdown. Then, just before the end of the half, Rodgers forced Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase to fumble.

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