Justin Jefferson has been one of the best receivers in football since being drafted in 2020. He’s been voted second-team All-Pro twice and won Offensive Player Of the Year in 2022. But Randy Moss believes he can be not only the best receiver in the NFL today, but of all time.
Moss was asked if Jefferson can become the greatest Vikings receiver of all time. The Hall of Fame receiver responded by saying not only can Jefferson become the best Vikings receiver of all time, but also the best receiver in NFL history.
“I think Justin Jefferson is on pace to be arguably the greatest ever and definitely the greatest Viking to ever do it,” Moss said in an interview with TMZ.
Jefferson has the stats through five seasons to show he is capable. He has 495 receptions for 7,342 yards and four touchdowns. His 96.5 receiving yards per game are the most in NFL history. But can he reach Jerry Rice, widely regarded as the best receiver ever?
Rice caught 1,549 passes for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns, all NFL records by a wide margin. He played 20 seasons, getting voted to the Pro Bowl at 40 years old in 2002. Jefferson would have to play another 15 seasons to match Rice’s career length.
Moss caught 982 passes for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns. But Moss far outpaced Jefferson in touchdowns early in his career, catching 60 touchdowns in his first five seasons. Moss says that if Jefferson wants to eclipse what Moss and fellow Vikings great Cris Carter did (130 touchdown receptions), he needs to reach the endzone more.
“For him to go down as the greatest Viking and arguably the greatest wide receiver to ever do it, I think I need to see more of Justin getting in that box,” Moss said. “I think at our position it’s not about the yards. The yards is what gets you the likes and the hearts and all of that, but if you really want to be legendary … you gotta find a way to get in that end zone.”
We’ll see if J.J. McCarthy can form a long-term solution to Jefferson in Minnesota. Perhaps he can be more aggressive in getting the ball to Jefferson inside the redzone, helping him improve his touchdown production.
The Vikings’ offense will continue to run through Jefferson as long as Kevin O’Connell is calling plays. As long as he stays healthy, Jefferson will have a chance to become one of the all-time greats.