Justin Jefferson makes NFL history alongside Randy Moss following Week 5 win
Few receivers in the NFL in the last few seasons have been as dynamic as Justin Jefferson. The star wideout of the Minnesota Vikings has put up numbers from the moment he entered the league in 2020. That production routinely puts him in elite company and, as of today, he made history yet again.
Jefferson caught 12 of his 13 targets on Sunday against the Chicago Bears for 154 receiving yards. It helped the Vikings to a 29-22 win and it tied him on a list with a pair of Hall of Famers.
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This wasn’t even Jefferson’s best 150-plus yard performance within the first five games of this season. He finished Minnesota’s opener against Green Bay with nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
Jefferson had two 150-plus yard games a piece in each of his first two seasons. With two coming in the first five weeks of the year, it’s plausible he could put up more this season.
Jefferson has continued to make his case as the best young receiver in the league, if not the best one overall regardless of age. His statistics continue to put him in those conversations and, with a lot of season left to go, he will continue to work towards that title next week on the road against the Dolphins.
Justin Jefferson makes strong prediction for his 2022 season
Justin Jefferson has burst onto the NFL scene the last two years. He topped a 1,400 yard, seven touchdown rookie year with 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021. The two-time Pro Bowler and All Pro Second Team selection looks as if it’ll only be up from there. He expects even more than that, though, from himself.
Jefferson spoke with Complex’s Kameron Hay about his NFL career thus far and moving forward. He says someone else still holds the top receiver distinction. However, he knows he’s coming for it and will take it for himself soon.
“I’ll say after this year I’ll be the best receiver in the NFL,” said Jefferson. “I definitely have to give it to Davante Adams as of now, him being so crazy and dynamic on the field. His route running is crazy, so I definitely have to give it to him right now, but I’m pretty sure after this year, it’s going to be me.”
In order to do that, he’ll have to continue consistently putting up the outrageous numbers during his first two years in Minnesota. Besides the yards and touchdowns, he’s averaged 98 catches a season. He also led the NFL in yards per touch in 2021 at 14.3. Topping those numbers will get harder as he becomes more of a focus for NFL defenses. Still, Jefferson says he’s still adding to his game and, when combined with the Vikings new offense, he’ll be able to make his case.
“It’s definitely tough to outdo 1,600 yards. It’s not normal for people to get that many yards consistently, back-to-back like that. (I’m) really just working on my weaknesses that I felt that I had throughout the season. Always working on my game. I’m always working on route running, always can work on catching the ball, so just trying to better my craft at all of those different categories,” Jefferson said. “With this new offense with coach (Kevin) O’Connell, all of us are excited about this new playbook and hopefully we have a better season this year.”
Success has come early and often for the 23 year old product out of LSU. He says he’s doing what he can, though, to ensure he stays on that pace over his entire career. There are plenty of candidates who can make their case as the NFL’s No. 1 receiver. If everything goes to Jefferson’s plan, he believes it’ll take him to even higher places one day afterwhile.
“I’m just trying to be up with those greats, trying to be next to them in the Hall of Fame. I didn’t expect to be on top of the league this soon, but all of the hard work I’ve done and all of the things that I’ve sacrificed in my career and in my life to make myself this type of player, it’s definitely a blessing to have all of these things come to me so soon.”