A Bad Justin Jefferson Storyline Just Got Real
The Seattle Seahawks shut out the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13, the first time Minnesota has encountered such a fate in 18 years. After the contest, Jefferson dipped prematurely, spurring into motion more mystery and chaos than anyone saw coming during a once-promising season.
The Minnesota Vikings lost their fourth straight game on Sunday at Seattle, and Justin Jefferson’s frustration dominates headlines in the aftermath.
While nothing much can come of it for a couple of months, a bad Jefferson storyline has arrived.
Justin Jefferson Opts Not to Talk to Reporters after SEA Loss
Here we go on frustration — from the team’s best player.
Jefferson Missing from Postgame Press Conference
Visibly upset on the sidelines and on the field — let’s face it: pissed — Jefferson didn’t speak to reporters after the loss in Seattle, a behavior not consistent with his typical demeanor.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted, “Nothing from Justin Jefferson today postgame. He left before speaking to reporters. He finished today with a career-low 4 receiving yards on 2 catches.”
Field Yates added, “This season must be unbelievably frustrating for Justin Jefferson. Not sure any superstar WR has received less help from his QB play this season than Jettas.”
Jefferson said after last weekend’s loss that he was tired of saying the same things after every game, only for things to remain the same.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis also posted on X, “Justin Jefferson left the locker room after the Vikings’ loss today without talking to reporters. The Vikings say Justin Jefferson declined to speak. First time that’s happened since I arrived in 2022.”
Yes, this is unusual for Jefferson.
A Career Low Output
Jefferson posted 2 receptions for 4 yards in Week 13. That’s not a typo; that really happened. His quarterback, Max Brosmer, would not target him, and when he did 4 times, Brosmer either sailed the pass or made it quasi-uncatchable for Jefferson.
Jefferson’s previous career-low? Fourteen yards in a game against the Detroit Lions in 2022. It’s been four years since the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year encountered an output this quiet.
His sources of frustration are pretty straightforward: his team is losing, and his quarterbacks are not getting him the ball.
Continued QB Futility
J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer are providing Jefferson with quarterback play that isn’t even entry-level. Neither man is completing routine passes at a normal clip, and in fact, fans have spent the last few weeks praying for basic functionality by the quarterback.
On top of that, when a quarterback struggles so obviously, a head coach and playcaller should retreat and run the football, right? Yep — but not Kevin O’Connell. Despite employing historically poor quarterback efficiency, Minnesota is still throwing the football at least 30 times per game.
The end result? Minnesota loses games, Jefferson posts career lows, and Jefferson skips press conferences. It’s a vicious cycle with no end in sight.
Trade Whispers
Now, for the vile part.
Anytime a wide receiver is disgruntled — ask Philadelphia Eagles fans or A.J. Brown personally — trade whispers become roars. Of course, the 2025 trade deadline has passed, and Jefferson cannot be traded right now. But when the offseason arrives, if the Vikings’ brass have not shown Jefferson a coherent plan for the future at quarterback, it would not be strange one bit for Jefferson to ask for his marching papers.
It’s what some superstars do when they’re hungry to win, and their current plight has no remedy in plain view.
It’s probably more likely that Minnesota finds a quarterback solution to appease Jefferson, but if he were to ask for his exit plans from the Vikings, the here and now is precisely how the saga would begin. Ignored in the offensive gameplan. Losses stacking accordingly.
SI.com on Jefferson
Joe Nelson at SI.com wrote Sunday night, “Jefferson, clearly frustrated with Minnesota’s abysmal offense, didn’t catch his first pass of the game until late in the third quarter.”
“He caught the ball about five yards behind the line of scrimmage and was immediately wrapped up by rookie safety Nick Emmanowori, who played through the whistle and body-slammed Jefferson to the ground for a 15-yard penalty.”
Jefferson’s discontent speaks volumes, as he is usually the consummate professional.
Nelson added, “There were multiple shots of Jefferson, who finished with two catches for four yards, alone on the sideline, once sitting dejectedly with a towel over his head after a Brosmer interception, and then on a Gatorade cooler after another Brosmer pick.”
“Jefferson is under contract for three more seasons, but Minnesota’s struggles have lit a fuse on social media, with fans wondering if Jefferson will request to be traded. Trading an elite player is never a good idea, but the concerns are real, and they appear to be growing.”
In theory, if Minnesota traded Jefferson before June 1st, 2026, it would swallow a $46 million dead cap hit.
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