The 2025 Minnesota Vikings season has been disappointing for everyone. Perhaps no one is more frustrated than Justin Jefferson, the star receiver who is navigating being a leader and staying productive while also acknowledging that J.J. McCarthy is a young quarterback who is getting acclimated to the NFL.
Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears was frustrating, as McCarthy only completed 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards and two interceptions. Jefferson caught five passes for 61 yards, showing frustration after a dropped pass over the middle.
But Jefferson stayed locked in, throwing a key block on Jordan Mason’s 16-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that cut the Bears’ lead to 16-10.
Kevin O’Connell said that it’s a testament to Jefferson as a leader and teammate to stay locked in.
He’s the reason why we score on the play [even though] he didn’t catch it. He didn’t walk the ball over the goal himself. But he certainly, in that moment, no matter what the perception of his frustration might be, that’s the player that I know we’re getting on every snap. And this guy wants to win; he’s competitive.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Jefferson is still seventh in the NFL with 747 yards on 56 receptions. He has only two touchdown receptions, but that isn’t keeping him from doing his part to help his teammates succeed.