Justin Jefferson has time and again proven himself to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, amassing receptions and yards as if he were eating candy. However, even he can do only so much, and Thursday proved that.
The Minnesota Viking was his team’s sole bright offensive spot in a 37-10 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers, catching seven passes for 74 yards and sparking calls for the organization to trade him elsewhere despite being on a four-year, $140-million contract.
And at halftime, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported that he was seen angrily walking back to the locker room while quarterbacks coach Josh McCown tried to console him:
Justin Jefferson is livid walking into the locker room. Josh McCown came over to tap him to try to keep him uplifted. Walking very slowly in, alone.
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After the game, Jefferson told reporters in the locker room:
“We just gotta think about what we need do to change this thing around, and figure out it fast.”
He also expressed surprise at the Vikings’ slow start after going a stunning 14-3 behind Sam Darnold in 2024 but insisted it was just “part of the game”:
“It’s not something that we gotta look on, look backwards for.”
Justin Jefferson recently spoke up on shattering Jerry Rice’s records
One term has defined Justin Jefferson in his career thus far: “record-breaker.” Ever since he entered the league, he has set multiple “youngest/fastest to” receiving records, and while Ja’Marr Chase eventually broke many of them beginning in 2021, he still has a few, including the youngest career 8,000-yard pass-catcher, which he achieved on Thursday.
However, he has a loftier target in mind: Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, even though it will not be easy. In a feature by ESPN’s Vikings correspondent Kevin Seifert, he said:
“I’ve watched so much about him on video and it’s just crazy what he did …The throwing game has upgraded so much. So the fact that he had 22,000 in those times is unreal.
“What if he had more passing? What would he have if he was in this type of system [in Minnesota]? What type of numbers would he have? So it’s definitely tough to really think about breaking them.”
By mathematical estimates, should Jefferson continue averaging 1,500 receiving yards, he may have a shot by age 35. In addition, he may also join Rice as one of only two pass-catchers to have a 1,500-yarder past the age of 31 – something he laughed about.