Justin Jefferson Made Good on His Promise
The Minnesota Vikings took Justin Jefferson with their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Looking back on that reality in the wake of his historic new extension is nothing short of amazing. The LSU product said he would make teams pay for passing on him, and it’s hard to suggest that he has done anything but.
Justin Jefferson Made Good on His Promise
2020 was certainly a weird time, and seeing Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer making selections via Zoom is certainly quite the jarring throwback. As the Philadelphia Eagles grabbed Jalen Reagor off the board, though, the Minnesota draft contingent let out a chuckle and went to get their guy.
While the Vikings turned out to be a solid landing spot for Jefferson, he certainly wasn’t thrilled by being passed over for other wide receivers. Saying he would make other teams pay is a bold suggestion from a rookie coming into the league, but confidence is not something Jefferson has ever lacked, and his cashing that check is not at all a surprise.
With a historic new deal in place, the Minnesota Vikings ultimately wound up paying and writing the check, but every other team in the league would have lined up to employ his services. Justin Jefferson is unquestionably the best wide receiver in the NFL, and now he’ll continue his career with the same franchise he began it with.
Seeing Jefferson continue to blossom as a wide receiver and what accolades he can rack up alongside J.J. McCarthy should be nothing short of exciting. He is a generational talent, and being able to keep his services here in Minnesota was clearly the goal all along. Vikings fans have seen star players come and go over the years, but Jefferson is someone they can now bank on remaining with the organization.
You can bet that Jefferson won’t be buying into a down year for the Vikings, even with quarterback turnover. The more he can do to help Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy establish themselves with a new franchise, the better. Having skipped voluntary workouts earlier this offseason, his presence at mandatory minicamp this week for Minnesota will lay the groundwork for training camp later this summer.
Justin Jefferson made good on his promise, and the Minnesota Vikings are better for it.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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