MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings' first guest at U.S. Bank Stadium, at least for a game that counts, will be one that spent many harrowing afternoons in the old Metrodome.

The Green Bay Packers, frequent Vikings patsies during the dome's early days (and much of Brett Favre's career), figured out how to win in Minneapolis during the Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers partnership, but they never stopped hating the experience of playing in the noisy cauldron.

When the Vikings moved outdoors to TCF Bank Stadium in 2014, quarterback Aaron Rodgers' first question was whether Ragnar -- the Vikings' old human mascot -- was still going to be able to ride his motorcycle onto the outdoor turf. After two years of no bike at the University of Minnesota, Rodgers opened his conference call on Wednesday by asking for an update on Ragnar's whereabouts.

"Is the Viking on the motorcycle coming back?" Rodgers asked.

Alas, he's not. Ragnar and the Vikings parted ways last season, as the team looked to modernize its game-day entertainment at U.S. Bank Stadium. When the team mentioned the idea of bringing Ragnar back for one last performance, Joe Juranitch -- the Ely, Minnesota, man who created the character -- took it as the start of contract negotiations, and asked for $20,000 for the one-game appearance, when he'd made just $18,000 the previous season.

"He wanted too much money, huh?" Rodgers recalled.

Juranitch actually appeared in a Fox pregame skit before the Vikings-Packers NFC North title game in January, trading his Viking helmet for a cheesehead. He later assured distraught fans on his Facebook page the change in allegiances was merely a spoof.

Motorcycle-bound mascot or not, Rodgers expects the new stadium will have the eardrum-rattling acoustics of its predecessor.

"I'm expecting there to be great energy and great crowd noise," Rodgers said. "They always have a loud, intelligent crowd over there. I'm expecting it to be rocking -- 'Sunday Night Football' -- and the noise will be a factor."