Justin Jefferson announce that he is leaving Minnesota Vikings today,now another significant issue for the team….
Justin Jefferson sat alone, looking miserable after Vikings’ loss
Not exactly what fans want to see with a wide receiver looking for a new contract.
Joe Nelson
Sep 10, 2023 9:23 PM EDT
If there is one image or video to sum up the Minnesota Vikings’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday it would be Justin Jefferson sitting alone on the bench after the final whistle sounded. He looked miserable.
CBS cameras captured the vulnerable moment, leaving viewers left to wonder what was going through the superstar wide receiver’s mind. Was it his contract? Was it the loss? Was it his two catches for a measly 12 yards in the second half after he torched the Bucs for 138 yards on seven catches in the first half? Was it all of the above?
Asked after the game by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert if his contract going unresolved despite extensive talks has changed his feelings about the franchise, he allegedly said, “Not really.”
“I have the same mindset as I had before,” he said, according to Seifert. “At the end of the day, all I can do is play football. And that’s what I continue to do. I know my team. My team doesn’t care about the contract, you know? And I don’t either. I just want to be here for my teammates, play for my teammates and of course get these wins.”
The Vikings posted 3 minutes, 22 seconds of Jefferson’s postgame media session but Seifert’s question isn’t included. It’s unclear if Seifert got to Jefferson before the media huddle or if the question and answer were simply not included in what the Vikings uploaded online.
Jefferson was a force in the first half only to go silent along with the entire offense in the second half. Minnesota had the ball for only 10 minutes and three possessions in the final 30 minutes, with the last two drives ending after three plays and punts.
Jefferson clearly wants to win. If the Vikings don’t win – and they’re in serious danger of starting 0-2 because they play at Philly on Thursday night – will the lack of long-term security from the Vikings make the situation more uncomfortable than Jefferson looked on the bench after the 20-17 loss to the Bucs?
The Vikings and Jefferson may be entering rough waters and it will test their resolve.
READ MORE
Justin Jefferson deserves better after carrying team in Vikings’ loss to Lions
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – DECEMBER 24: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a Detroit Lions interception at the end of the fourth quarter as Cameron Sutton #1 celebrates at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
By Alec Lewis
Dec 25, 2023
MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Jefferson knelt. He then unstrapped his helmet, scanned the Minnesota Vikings’ sideline and breathed deeply.
The superstar receiver was boiling inside. He had to be. After what he’d given his team Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium? After absorbing a blast of a hit over the middle of the field? After torching Detroit Lions double-teams? After demanding the ball in the huddle, then leaping into to air and snatching a first down on third-and-27 just three plays earlier?
ADVERTISEMENT
Jefferson, still on a knee, fixated on the big screen. He wanted to see what had happened. How one of his patented routes — a body-bending, hip-swiveling crosser — resulted in a Detroit interception.
Had the Lions tipped the pass? Should he have stopped his route?
Reviewing the play, the answers seemed obvious. No, and no.
THE @LIONS PICK IT AND WILL CLINCH THE NFC NORTH. #DETvsMIN pic.twitter.com/EYMCu0ddkZ
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2023
As the ball left quarterback Nick Mullens’ fingertips, it wobbled like it’d been punted. A cold, hard shank. Had the pass been thrown farther out in Jefferson’s direction, the Vikings could have avoided Sunday’s 30-24 loss.
go-deeper
GO DEEPER
Lions clinch division for first time since 1993
“Our leader was down on his knees,” safety Josh Metellus said. “Dog tired. Trying to do whatever he can to win the game. As he does.”
As the Lions defenders stared into the 66,932-person crowd and mocked the Vikings’ “Skol” chant from the end zone, basking in their first division title since 1993, Jefferson remained on his knees. He seemed to be in disbelief. Gutted. Feeling like he’d given everything he possibly could. Done everything in his power to uplift his team’s beaten-down fans. Only to have the potential joy ripped from him during a season in which it has been desperately needed.
The Vikings’ early-season losses sickened Jefferson. His strained hamstring stunned him. Kirk Cousins’ injury upset him. A chest injury scared him. Few football seasons have been this frustrating for the 24-year-old. Sunday became the latest chapter, and now the season is on the brink.
Not only have the Vikings dropped out of an NFC wild-card spot, but they’re also facing what coach Kevin O’Connell called “injury adversity.” Tight end T.J. Hockenson, wide receiver Jordan Addison and edge rusher D.J. Wonnum all exited Sunday’s game, respectively, with knee, ankle and quad injuries. The Vikings were already without starting cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (knee) and starting right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle).
Now, Minnesota must win its final two games to assure itself a playoff spot. Even if the team sneaks its way in, it’ll be playing with a quarterback not named Cousins. A quarterback who leaves you feeling like every game, every pass, every play is a complete dice roll. Josh Dobbs occupied that role for four weeks.
Mullens has played a similar part the last two weeks. He was intercepted twice in Week 15 against the Bengals. Sunday, he threw four interceptions and tallied at least eight turnover-worthy plays. The turnovers clouded Minnesota’s most explosive offensive performance of the season. They also underlined, highlighted and italicized what Cousins has provided: accurate passing, good decision-making and underrated arm strength.
Jefferson has constantly praised Cousins over the last two years. He did so again Sunday.
“I think it goes to show the world the type of player Kirk is,” Jefferson said. “At the end of the day, this is a tough league. Not everybody is meant for this job. It’s tough not having No. 8 out there — the captain that he is, the leader that he is. He’s a great player.”
This quote is relevant to the Vikings’ bigger picture. Cousins will be a free agent after the season. Many experts and fans have suggested the team draft a quarterback, and even team staffers have admitted the value that a rookie quarterback contract provides in roster building. But will the Vikings be selecting high enough in the draft to get a talented option? If the Vikings trade one (or multiple) high-end draft picks to move up and take a QB, how will they fill their holes elsewhere on the roster?
Another question is now worth asking: How would Jefferson feel about playing with an unproven talent?
Not once in Jefferson’s Vikings tenure has he caused friction. He arrived at training camp without any fuss over his lack of a contract extension. A person close to Jefferson even said that he struggled with missing organized team activities. Regularly around the NFL, though, disappointing seasons weigh on elite wide receivers. Davante Adams voiced frustration with the Las Vegas Raiders’ situation. Garrett Wilson has kept fairly quiet amid the New York Jets’ struggles, but his body language screams disappointment.
Jefferson’s accolades rise above both of those receivers, which is why teammates like wide receiver K.J. Osborn and linebacker Jordan Hicks said “Pshhhh” in the locker room Sunday afternoon when asked about Jefferson’s six-catch, 141-yard performance against the Lions.
“He’s the best receiver in football,” Hicks said. “There’s no doubt.”
Jefferson was personally responsible for the Vikings’ second touchdown of the game. On one drive, just before halftime, he hauled in a 22-yard pass from Mullens, a 29-yarder and a 26-yarder. Sandwiched between those three catches was a defensive pass interference penalty. Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu tugged on Jefferson’s jersey. Lions safety Kerby Joseph speared Jefferson on the initial catch. Afterward, Jefferson quickly got to his feet and flexed while Joseph was sprawled out on the ground and was attended to by trainers. On the final catch, the 26-yarder, Jefferson dove and secured the ball in the end zone.
Man on a mission.@JJettas2 #ProBowlVote
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/E6AjKk5GjG
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 24, 2023
“He’s so tremendously talented,” O’Connell said. “He’s such a competitor.”
All of the Vikings fought. Brian Flores’ defense, outclassed from a talent perspective against the Lions offense, limited Detroit to its lowest explosive play rate of the season. Red zone and third down woes swayed the result. By the midway point of the third quarter, the Vikings had lost Hockenson and Addison, propelling backups like Johnny Mundt and Lucky Jackson into action. Add in Mullens’ four interceptions, and the Vikings needed heroics.
Jefferson delivered on a third-and-27 situation with 1:26 remaining. He had told Mullens in the huddle: “It don’t matter where it is, just throw it up.” Mullens did. Jefferson hauled in the pass, keeping Minnesota’s hopes alive.
“I had the same feeling (as on his fourth-and-18 catch in Buffalo),” Osborn said. “It doesn’t look like a high-percentage throw. Catch radius. Catch percentage. He comes down with it. That’s what God made him to be.”
Even in the locker room after the game, teammates and staffers approached Jefferson and praised his effort. They had noticed his facial expression as he knelt on the field. They realized how much losses in these meaningful games pained him. As Vikings officials look forward to the offseason, let’s hope they pay attention to their superstar, too.
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – DECEMBER 24: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a Detroit Lions interception at the end of the fourth quarter as Cameron Sutton #1 celebrates at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Jefferson knelt. He then unstrapped his helmet, scanned the Minnesota Vikings’ sideline and breathed deeply.
The superstar receiver was boiling inside. He had to be. After what he’d given his team Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium? After absorbing a blast of a hit over the middle of the field? After torching Detroit Lions double-teams? After demanding the ball in the huddle, then leaping into to air and snatching a first down on third-and-27 just three plays earlier?
Jefferson, still on a knee, fixated on the big screen. He wanted to see what had happened. How one of his patented routes — a body-bending, hip-swiveling crosser — resulted in a Detroit interception.
Had the Lions tipped the pass? Should he have stopped his route?
As the ball left quarterback Nick Mullens’ fingertips, it wobbled like it’d been punted. A cold, hard shank. Had the pass been thrown farther out in Jefferson’s direction, the Vikings could have avoided Sunday’s 30-24 loss.
“Our leader was down on his knees,” safety Josh Metellus said. “Dog tired. Trying to do whatever he can to win the game. As he does.”
As the Lions defenders stared into the 66,932-person crowd and mocked the Vikings’ “Skol” chant from the end zone, basking in their first division title since 1993, Jefferson remained on his knees. He seemed to be in disbelief. Gutted. Feeling like he’d given everything he possibly could. Done everything in his power to uplift his team’s beaten-down fans. Only to have the potential joy ripped from him during a season in which it has been desperately needed.
The Vikings’ early-season losses sickened Jefferson. His strained hamstring stunned him. Kirk Cousins’ injury upset him. A chest injury scared him. Few football seasons have been this frustrating for the 24-year-old. Sunday became the latest chapter, and now the season is on the brink.
Not only have the Vikings dropped out of an NFC wild-card spot, but they’re also facing what coach Kevin O’Connell called “injury adversity.” Tight end T.J. Hockenson, wide receiver Jordan Addison and edge rusher D.J. Wonnum all exited Sunday’s game, respectively, with knee, ankle and quad injuries. The Vikings were already without starting cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (knee) and starting right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle).
Now, Minnesota must win its final two games to assure itself a playoff spot. Even if the team sneaks its way in, it’ll be playing with a quarterback not named Cousins. A quarterback who leaves you feeling like every game, every pass, every play is a complete dice roll. Josh Dobbs occupied that role for four weeks.
Mullens has played a similar part the last two weeks. He was intercepted twice in Week 15 against the Bengals. Sunday, he threw four interceptions and tallied at least eight turnover-worthy plays. The turnovers clouded Minnesota’s most explosive offensive performance of the season. They also underlined, highlighted and italicized what Cousins has provided: accurate passing, good decision-making and underrated arm strength.
Jefferson has constantly praised Cousins over the last two years. He did so again Sunday.
“I think it goes to show the world the type of player Kirk is,” Jefferson said. “At the end of the day, this is a tough league. Not everybody is meant for this job. It’s tough not having No. 8 out there — the captain that he is, the leader that he is. He’s a great player.”
This quote is relevant to the Vikings’ bigger picture. Cousins will be a free agent after the season. Many experts and fans have suggested the team draft a quarterback, and even team staffers have admitted the value that a rookie quarterback contract provides in roster building. But will the Vikings be selecting high enough in the draft to get a talented option? If the Vikings trade one (or multiple) high-end draft picks to move up and take a QB, how will they fill their holes elsewhere on the roster?
Another question is now worth asking: How would Jefferson feel about playing with an unproven talent?
Not once in Jefferson’s Vikings tenure has he caused friction. He arrived at training camp without any fuss over his lack of a contract extension. A person close to Jefferson even said that he struggled with missing organized team activities. Regularly around the NFL, though, disappointing seasons weigh on elite wide receivers. Davante Adams voiced frustration with the Las Vegas Raiders’ situation. Garrett Wilson has kept fairly quiet amid the New York Jets’ struggles, but his body language screams disappointment.
Jefferson’s accolades rise above both of those receivers, which is why teammates like wide receiver K.J. Osborn and linebacker Jordan Hicks said “Pshhhh” in the locker room Sunday afternoon when asked about Jefferson’s six-catch, 141-yard performance against the Lions.
“He’s the best receiver in football,” Hicks said. “There’s no doubt.”
Jefferson was personally responsible for the Vikings’ second touchdown of the game. On one drive, just before halftime, he hauled in a 22-yard pass from Mullens, a 29-yarder and a 26-yarder. Sandwiched between those three catches was a defensive pass interference penalty. Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu tugged on Jefferson’s jersey. Lions safety Kerby Joseph speared Jefferson on the initial catch. Afterward, Jefferson quickly got to his feet and flexed while Joseph was sprawled out on the ground and was attended to by trainers. On the final catch, the 26-yarder, Jefferson dove and secured the ball in the end zone.
Man on a mission.@JJettas2 #ProBowlVote
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/E6AjKk5GjG
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 24, 2023
“He’s so tremendously talented,” O’Connell said. “He’s such a competitor.”
All of the Vikings fought. Brian Flores’ defense, outclassed from a talent perspective against the Lions offense, limited Detroit to its lowest explosive play rate of the season. Red zone and third down woes swayed the result. By the midway point of the third quarter, the Vikings had lost Hockenson and Addison, propelling backups like Johnny Mundt and Lucky Jackson into action. Add in Mullens’ four interceptions, and the Vikings needed heroics.
Jefferson delivered on a third-and-27 situation with 1:26 remaining. He had told Mullens in the huddle: “It don’t matter where it is, just throw it up.” Mullens did. Jefferson hauled in the pass, keeping Minnesota’s hopes alive.
“I had the same feeling (as on his fourth-and-18 catch in Buffalo),” Osborn said. “It doesn’t look like a high-percentage throw. Catch radius. Catch percentage. He comes down with it. That’s what God made him to be.”
Even in the locker room after the game, teammates and staffers approached Jefferson and praised his effort. They had noticed his facial expression as he knelt on the field. They realized how much losses in these meaningful games pained him. As Vikings officials look forward to the offseason, let’s hope they pay attention to their superstar,
