Justin Jefferson joins Randy Moss in the Vikings record books
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings rookie had another impressive performance on Sunday.
When the Minnesota Vikings selected Justin Jefferson in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the hope was that he would be able to at least make up for half of the production the passing game lost when the team decided to trade Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills.
12 games into his NFL career, there’s now a very valid argument to be made that the Vikings got the better end of the Diggs trade since it resulted in them drafting Jefferson.
Jefferson has quickly emerged as one of the best pass-catchers in the entire NFL and his performance so far this season has him in contention to be the first wide receiver to be named the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014.
Justin Jefferson hits a milestone during the Minnesota Vikings Week 13 win
During Minnesota’s Week 13 overtime win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Jefferson was able to haul in nine passes for 121 yards and one touchdown. For the Vikings rookie, it was the fifth time this season that he’s finished a matchup with at least 100 receiving yards.
Jefferson’s five games with at least 100 receiving yards is tied for the most ever by a Minnesota rookie with Anthony Carter, who accomplished the feat in 1985.
That’s not the only record Jefferson achieved on Sunday. Finishing with 121 yards against the Jaguars brought his 2020 receiving yardage total to 1,039 and with this total, he joined Randy Moss as the only Vikings rookies to ever surpass 1,000 receiving yards in their first season with the franchise.
Jefferson now needs 275 yards during Minnesota’s final four games to break Moss’ record for the most receiving yards in a season by a rookie in team history. If Jefferson finishes with at least 70 yards in each of the Vikings’ next four matchups, that record will be his.