It took a lot longer than it should have, but Justin Jefferson finally hit the 1,000-yard mark in the Minnesota Vikings' Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Needing 53 yards to hit the mark in the season finale, the 26-year-old ultimately ended his afternoon with eight receptions on 11 targets for 101 yards, thus notching only his third 100-yard game of the campaign and his first since Week 5.
With 1,048 yards for the year, Jefferson is now just the third player ever to record at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first six NFL seasons.
The first to do so was none other than Randy Moss, who hit the mark in his first six seasons with the Vikings from 1998 to 2003. And the second was Mike Evans, who just saw his 11-year streak come to an end.
After reaching the mark for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014 to 2024, Evans tallied just 368 yards in 2025, as various injuries limited him to just eight games.
Jefferson, who set the six-season yardage record in Week 17, is also now just the third player in Vikings history with six seasons of 1,000 receiving yards or more, consecutive or otherwise, joining Moss (six) and Cris Carter (eight).
Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson still believes he's the best in the NFL
Despite making the history he did on Sunday, Jefferson obviously didn't post the numbers we've been accustomed to seeing, as he set career lows in total receiving yards (1,048), receiving yards per game (61.6), yards per reception (12.5), and touchdowns (two).
And his 84 receptions represented the second-lowest total of his career. The only time he went lower was in 2023, when seven missed games limited him to just 68.
Typically, among the top five in basically every single receiving category, the LSU alum ended the 2025 season ranked 13th in receptions, 12th in receiving yards, 17th in receiving yards per game, 50th in yards per reception, and tied for 118th in receiving touchdowns.
Of course, Jefferson can't take the blame for his lack of production, given all the issues the Vikings had at the quarterback position. And despite the down year, his confidence certainly isn't shaken, as he made quite the bold claim when discussing his newest piece of NFL history.
"Definitely relieved," Jefferson said in his postgame interview. "Off of a difficult year, emotionally and physically, just to come out with the attitude of trying to finish the game, trying to leave a mark, and show the world that I'm still the best receiver in the league, it definitely felt great to get that accolade and to go into the offseason with a good taste in my mouth."
Jefferson is already likely looking forward to backing up his boast as the "best receiver in the league" come the 2026 season, and Vikings fans (and fantasy football managers) will now just have to wait and see if J.J. McCarthy or yet another new QB1 will be throwing him the football.