Somehow, Justin Jefferson did not start right away as a rookie for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. But since early in his debut season, he has done nothing but show himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His receiving yards per game average (95.9) entering Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers is an all-time record.
As expected, Jefferson is also hitting historical marks along the way. In 2023, despite missing seven games, he set the league record for receiving yards in a player's first four seasons (5,899). Last year, he set the same record for a player's first five seasons.
Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, Julio Jones holds the record for the fastest to 8,000 career receiving yards, doing so in his 85th game while playing for the Atlanta Falcons.
Jefferson entered Thursday night's game with 7,960 career receiving yards. With 40 yards, something he has failed to do just 13 times in his first 83 career games, he would reach 8,000 career yards in his 84th game.
Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson sets another NFL record in rough loss to Los Angeles Chargers
With his third catch on Thursday, Jefferson got to 40 yards, pending any adjustment in the statistics. His fourth catch gave him 43 yards on the night and comfortably gave him the record for the fastest player to 8,000 career receiving yards since the 1970 merger.
Jefferson also joined Randy Moss and Torry Holt as the only players in NFL history with over 8,000 yards in the first six seasons. Jefferson has 10 more games to pass Moss, and barring injury, he should do so comfortably on his way to setting the NFL record for the most receiving yards in someone's first six seasons.
Jefferson has also joined Moss and Cris Carter as the only Vikings with 8,000 receiving yards in a career.
Playing for the Chargers in the AFL, Hall of Famer Lance Alworth topped 8,000 career receiving yards in his 83rd career, during the 1969 season.
So he remains the record holder for fastest to 8,000 receiving yards in pro football history, with the NFL incorporating AFL records into its official records when the merger happened.
As ProFootballTalk's Michael David Smith noted, Jefferson has more receiving yards through 84 career games than Jerry Rice did (7,223). Rice went on to play 219 more games and set the all-time receiving yards record (22,895).
While Jefferson probably won't play long enough to threaten or pass Rice, being ahead of the greatest wide receiver in NFL history's yardage pace at any point is very impressive.