Cris Carter Nominates Justin Jefferson as Best Vikings WR — Ever.
Dustin Baker
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In news you didn’t expect to read on an ordinary Monday afternoon, Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter has crowned a new top dog.
Carter joined the Up and Adams show Monday and used the platform to declare Justin Jefferson as the best Vikings wide receiver in team history. The former Viking assuredly placed Jefferson’s resume above his own, citing Jefferson’s supreme athletic ability. And he also seemed to endorse Jefferson over Randy Moss, a man widely considered the best Vikings wideout in team history and perhaps league history.
“I do believe [Justin Jefferson] and Randy Moss are neck-and-neck, but Justin can do so many things at an elite level. It is what it is,” Carter told Kay Adams on Monday.
Carter also explained the dynamic of his and Moss’ era compared to today with Jefferson and Adam Thielen. But Carter did not mince words in affording Jefferson the utmost kudos, a discussion that will spur Vikings WR debates in the days ahead.
Here’s the video from the Up and Adams show:
Jefferson has played 46 career games to date. This is the state of play between him and his NFL forefathers:
- Justin Jefferson = 4,516 yds / 23 TDs
- Odell Beckham = 4,327 yds / 37 TDs
- Randy Moss = 3,985 yds / 41 TDs
- Julio Jones = 3,906 yds / 25 TDs
- Anquan Boldin = 3,904 yds / 19 TDs
Jefferson is locked in a 2022 race for the NFL receiving yards leader, currently besting Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins by 40 yards. The two men play hot potato with the lead weekly, as Jefferson trailed Hill by 102 yards entering last weekend. Jefferson then broke off a mammoth performance against the Detroit Lions and retook the advantage.
If either man tops 2,000 receiving yards, he could earn MVP votes.
On Carter’s comments, some Vikings fans will stay steadfast that Moss is king, chiefly because of his touchdown prowess. They’re likely not wrong. However, Jefferson’s scalding pace cannot be ignored. In fact, it’s impossible to discredit Carter, so any person who asserts Jefferson is already the Vikings best ever has a strong case of evidence.
Jefferson hopes to maintain his lead over Hill — and build the resume over Moss and Carter — at home this weekend against the struggling Indianapolis Colts.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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