The Minnesota Vikings will renew their rivalry with the Chicago Bears in Week 2 of the 2026 regular season, and Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson added a new wrinkle to his longterm battle with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson by way of some curious commentary on Thursday, September 17.
Johnson spoke about the matchup with Minnesota’s group of pass-catchers, which also includes wideouts Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, tight end TJ Hockenson and running back Aaron Jones.
“I don’t enjoy going against the best guys in the league.”
“Bears CB Jaylon Johnson says he doesn’t enjoy the Bears Vikings rivalry,” Devan Kaney of FOX Sports reported on X.
“I don’t enjoy going against the best guys in the league,” Johnson said.
Jaylon Johnson’s Comments on Justin Jefferson, Vikings WRs Don’t Line Up With Rhetoric Throughout His Career
Johnson’s response drew both criticism and sparked controversy, as some felt he was being serious while others claimed it was sarcasm.
In the video of the press conference, Johnson is smiling before and during his answer to the question. However, his tone of voice and the intention of his comments are open to the beholder’s interpretation.
Johnson’s words certainly sound out of character for a borderline top-10 cornerback in the NFL who is a two-time Pro Bowler, former second-team All-Pro and likely hunting an extension on top of his $76 million contract, which runs through 2027.
Brendan Sugrue of Bears Wire took to social media and posted comments that Johnson made about Davante Adams back when he was a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2021, which are essentially the exact opposite of what Johnson said about Jefferson Thursday.
“Jaylon Johnson gets his wish: a showdown against the Green Bay Packers’ Davante Adams: ‘I want to follow the best receiver every game,’ the Chicago Bears cornerback says,” Surgrue’s post said.
After all of the criticism she faced in the comments section of her initial post, Kaney wrote the following on her X account: “I believe he was saying this to not give any bulletin board material, fwiw. Everyone stop yelling at me 😅.”
Vikings Have Yet to Name Starting QB for Week 2 Between Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz
Another bit of intrigue involves which quarterback will be throwing passes to Jefferson during the Bears’ home opener on Sunday.
Kyler Murray was the No. 1 QB for the final month of the preseason and took the vast majority of snaps with the first-team offense. However, he threw an interception on his first pass as a member of the Vikings and left the game on the third drive of their Week 1 contest against the Green Bay Packers with a concussion.
Carson Wentz stepped in and threw for 133 yards and three scores. Jefferson finished the day with eight grabs for 92 yards, two TDs and a two-point conversion.
Murray has participated in each of the last two practices in a limited capacity but has yet to complete the league’s mandatory concussion protocol. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated earlier this week that Murray probably needs to graduate from said protocol by Friday in order to be ready to start on Sunday.
If not, Wentz will make his seventh appearance and sixth start for the Vikings over the team’s past 17 games stretching back to Week 3 of last season.
Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Subject of Strange Jaylon Johnson Remarks Ahead of Bears Game