All Things Vikings Turn to Justin Jefferson’s Injury
For the first time in his professional career, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson could miss a game due to injury.
All Things Vikings Turn to Justin Jefferson’s Injury
Jefferson has played 100% of Vikings games since joining the club in 2020 via 1st-Round draft pick, but for the next few days, the team’s loyalists will stand still to determine the 24-year-old’s status for Week 5 at the Chicago Bears.
Minnesota lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, sending the club to 1-4, a bleak standing with 12 regular games left on the schedule. The Vikings likely need a 9-3 record the rest of the way to reach the postseason, which feels like a longshot at the moment.
Here’s the play where Jefferson hurt his hamstring.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Jefferson’s injury following the loss to Kansas City, “Justin Jefferson did sustain a hamstring injury. I’ll keep you guys updated on that. It’s still very early. We’ll see where he’s at as we move along here and kind of diagnose exactly what that injury is and what that timeline looks like.”
The last time Minnesota played a meaningful football game without Jefferson was a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 Divisional Playoffs.
“It was tough on him. He’s the ultimate competitor. We’ll get him back as soon as we possibly can,” O’Connell added.
Hamstring injuries don’t typically heal in a day or two and instead linger, especially for a wide receiver. Jefferson does have a pristine track record of playing no matter what, so his status for Week 6 at Soldier Field should be considered totally questionable and an item to monitor on the team’s injury reports beginning Wednesday.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport described Jefferson’s outlook against the Bears as “iffy” on Monday. Minnesota has won three consecutive games at Chicago, but the Bears played tremendously on Thursday Night Football, and the Vikings have zero experience on offense sans Jefferson during the O’Connell era. If he cannot play in Week 6, pass-catchers T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison would be on deck for a mega workload.
O’Connell also mentioned, “It will be something we have to work through. But I also have a lot of confidence in our offensive unit to make sure we’re where we want to be when Justin gets back.”
Before the hamstring hiccup, Jefferson logged 3 receptions for 28 yards, his quietest game since New Year’s Day. Jefferson was passed on the receiving yards leaderboard by Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins), who has 651 through five games, and Los Angeles Rams rookie widout Puka Nacua with 572. The 28-yard output situated Jefferson at 571 yards in five games.
The Vikings have a 21% chance to reach the postseason after losing to the Chiefs, according to sportsbooks.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.