Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson has held the chase to 2,000 yards receiving close to his heart throughout his four-year career.
He looked well on pace to become the first wide receiver in league history to surpass the single-season mark, averaging an NFL-high 135.8 yards per game in the first four weeks of the season before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5.
For seven games, Jefferson has had to sit by and watch Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, who is on pace for 2,098 yards, run unchallenged for the most productive season by a receiver ever.
Jefferson, currently at 571 yards receiving on the season approaching his return from injury, has come to terms that there is not enough runway left on the tarmac for him to reach 2,000 receiving yards with five games left in the season — and the star receiver could care less about the record.
“Shoot, we’re trying to get to the playoffs, and get to the Super Bowl,” Jefferson said on December 7, per NFL.com. “I mean, the individual stats are not there for me this year, but it’s more about winning for the team, more about doing things for the team to help. Of course, I had to do the sideline adjustment, but now it is more about getting on the field and helping this team out any way I can.”
Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Readjusts His Sights on 1,000 Receiving Yards
GettyJustin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a play against the Indianapolis Colts.
It’s rare to have a spotless career without injury, and as Jefferson has dealt with the longest absence from playing since he was in high school, he came to a new goal for his career.
“Since I got hurt the new goal is 1,000 yards,” Jefferson said, per ESPN. “I want to end every single year over 1,000 yards.
Jefferson will have to do so without Kirk Cousins, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles he suffered on October 29. This week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders will feature Josh Dobbs under center and will be just the second time Jefferson has played with a quarterback other than Cousins.
“It’s been hard to adjust those goals honestly,” added. “To have missed seven games throughout the season, especially on the pace that I was going before the injury. It’s a little tough to see Tyreek going crazy every single week, to see different people throughout the whole league doing tremendous things. It’s been tough because it’s the first season that I’ve been hurt since I’ve been into the league.”
Justin Jefferson Has Confidence in Vikings QB Josh Dobbs
GettyVikings quarterback Josh Dobbs
Coming off of injured reserve during the Week 13 bye, Jefferson hasn’t had many reps with Dobbs but isn’t concerned about a lack of chemistry.
“I’ve been talking with Josh, and of course, before this week I wasn’t really in practice as much, so wasn’t really working with him as much,” Jefferson said. “But I feel like we’re going to be good, we’re going to be fine, as long as he has confidence in me and I have confidence in him.”
Kevin O’Connell made the point that his decision of who would start on Sunday would be based on which quarterback can maximize Jefferson’s potential in the offense — plenty of reason for Jefferson to expect himself to still reach 1,000 yards receiving this season.
Jefferson said his confidence in the connection with Dobbs is growing by the day both in the film room and on the practice field.
“Really both ways, just on the field and in the film room, just going over different plays with him, going over the timing of everything just like we did with Kirk, and trying to find that connection that we can use for Sunday,” Jefferson said. “It’s been a pleasure working with him, kinda learning things that I can learn from him, that he can learn from me, and it’ll be better for us when we go out on that field.”
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Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Pushes Back After Missing NFL Record