EAGAN, Minn. – The Minnesota Vikings are facing a challenging season, currently holding a record of 4-8. This reality hit wide receiver Justin Jefferson hard following a disheartening 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on December 3, 2023. Jefferson, visibly frustrated, spent part of the fourth quarter sitting on a water cooler. For the first time in his career, he chose to skip his postgame news conference.
Speaking to reporters on December 7, Jefferson acknowledged the heightened emotions following the Seahawks defeat. “The frustration and the emotions definitely were high after the game,” he said. Nonetheless, he refrained from expressing concern about the future direction of the team.
The Vikings have seen six starts from second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy and one from rookie Max Brosmer. As a result, Jefferson is on track to finish his sixth season without a playoff win. When asked if he feels the Vikings are wasting the prime years of his career, he responded, “No, I wouldn’t say wasted. Obviously, it’s a difficult season. It’s probably one of the most difficult seasons just off of the circumstances.”
Jefferson noted that the challenges stem from having a young quarterback and an evolving roster. “Not every year is going to be a top-tier year for me,” he added. “It’s really a part of the game. So it’s just all on me to expect a lot from these guys and to improve on anything that we need to improve on as an offense.”
Despite entering the season with an average of 96.5 receiving yards per game—the highest in NFL history among qualified players—Jefferson’s production has dipped significantly this year. In his seven games with McCarthy and Brosmer, he has averaged just 46 yards. Overall, he ranks 12th in the NFL for both receptions (60) and receiving yards (799), with only two touchdown catches. To avoid setting a career low for a full season, he will need to accumulate 601 receiving yards in the final five games.
“You have to have a lot of patience,” Jefferson stated. “I mean, we’re 4-8. That’s definitely a difficult thing to go through. It’s definitely not exciting to lose games, especially in front of our fans at home. Those are definitely things that I hate doing.” Jefferson, who has always been a fierce competitor, reflected on his distaste for losing, recalling that he hated even casual games as a child.
Looking optimistically towards the future, he expressed hope for better times ahead. “There’re going to be better times, and there’s going to be a time where people cut on that TV and they’re talking all about us and they jumped on our bandwagon,” he said.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell supports Jefferson’s sentiments, acknowledging the team’s current struggles and their impact on the star receiver. “He obviously wants to win football games,” O’Connell said. “He’s as competitive as anybody I’ve ever been around, and he’s a leader on our team.”
O’Connell emphasized that the team understands they are not meeting Jefferson’s standards. “Nobody is accepting any of the outcomes that we’re facing right now,” he added. “And Justin certainly will never be asked to accept that.”
He noted that allowing players like Jefferson and rookie Jordan Addison to make impactful plays requires the entire team to operate at a high level. “It takes much more than just calling plays for them,” O’Connell explained. “And that’s what we’ve got to strive to have happen. Justin plays a huge role in that as one of our captains.”
As the Vikings look ahead, the focus remains on improving performance and finding ways to turn their season around. The challenges facing the team may be significant, but with players like Jefferson leading the charge, hope for a turnaround remains.
