Vikings WR Justin Jefferson given incredible honor for first time in NFL career

For the first time in his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings, All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been named a team captain.

Jefferson, along with quarterback Kirk Cousins, right tackle Brian O'Neill, fullback C.J. Ham, pass rusher Danielle Hunter, safety Harrison Smith, linebacker Jordan Hicks, and safety Josh Metellus will all serve as team captains for the Vikings during the upcoming 2023 season.

In his fourth season with Minnesota, Jefferson has taken on more of a leadership role with the team, especially since the departure of longtime Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen earlier this year.

Jefferson took what he learned from Thielen in the past and he's used it to help point some of Minnesota's younger players in the right direction, including rookie receiver Jordan Addison.

The steps in leadership that Jefferson has made during the last few months were clearly noticed by others in the locker room, and now he gets to be a team captain for the Vikings for the first time in his young career.

Coming off of a 2022 campaign that resulted in him winning the league's Offensive Player of the Year award, Jefferson is going to do his best to be even better this season. It's pretty mind-boggling that at just 24-years-old, there's a chance that he hasn't reached the peak of his career in the NFL yet.

The honor of being a team captain might not be the only thing Jefferson receives from Minnesota before the start of the regular season. A recent report indicated that the Vikings are trying to get an extension done with the talented wide receiver before their Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 10th.

And since Minnesota just handed out a lucrative contract extension to tight end T.J. Hockenson on Thursday, the chances of Jefferson cashing in before the start of the regular season now seem even higher.

Whenever that extension is announced, few will complain about the amount of money being given to the young receiver, as he has done more than enough in his short career with the Vikings to deserve every single penny that his new deal will put in his bank account.