Justin Jefferson Is Pretty Stoked about New Accomplishment
Dustin Baker
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Justin Jefferson, like millions of others, grew up playing Madden.
On Monday, he joined the illustrious Madden 99 club, fetching a 99 overall rating from the video game, indicating his supremacy at the wide receiver position and the sport on the whole.
Justin Jefferson Is Pretty Stoked about New Accomplishment
And to some, Madden scores are a who cares phenomenon as not everyone plays video games. Some don’t care about Madden at all. But Jefferson isn’t one of those folks.
The 24-year-old was elated by inclusion in The 99 Club and tweeted his excitement. Too, Jefferson doesn’t tweet often, so the Madden tidbit apparently moved the needle to the utmost. He posted, “Y’all have no idea what it means to be a 99 in Madden!! Since I was 7y/o I been creating my own player making him a 99 and now I don’t have to????????“
Patrick Mahomes, the league’s reigning NFL MVP, is expected to grab a 99 rating, and then it’s a waiting game on other 99 personnel.
Since joining the Vikings in 2020, Jefferson leads the NFL in receiving yards, has set every receiving yards mark involving a player’s first three seasons (or xxx games of a career), and snatched single-season receiving yards and receptions Vikings records previously held by Randy Moss and Cris Carter. He’s also a three-time All-Pro, not bad for a player’s first three seasons.
Meanwhile, Jefferson is expected to set a for-now NFL record with a contract extension this summer, likely tipping the scales at $30 to $35 million per season. So, you know, quarterback money. The Vikings have affirmed all offseason their desire to retain the man for the long haul, but no deal has materialized through July 16th.
Jefferson also won an ESPY award last week for ‘Best Play’ in sports, a prestigious acknowledgment of his otherworldly catch versus the Buffalo Bills last November.
So, between the ESPY recognition and the Madden 99 Club praise, it’s been a good week for the face of the Vikings franchise.
Minnesota opted into Jefferson’s fifth-year option for 2024 this offseason, meaning the wideout is under contract with the Vikings for the next two seasons, no matter what. But when the extension hits, Jefferson should be tied to Minnesota until 2027 or 2028.
He also leads all non-quarterbacks in 2023 odds to win the NFL’s MVP award.
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 Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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