Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson making elite noise
Maybe the 49ers should have tried harder to get Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Then he wouldn’t have been able to burn them for a 97-yard score. And maybe Jefferson could have made history for a different team during Minnesota’s contest versus the 49ers.
Jefferson turned in a spectacular performance Sunday, putting him in rare NFL company for the start of a career. At halftime Jefferson totaled four catches for 133 yards as the Vikings built a 13-7 lead. With that effort, Jefferson topped 400 career catches and 6,000 career yards.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson one of the best
In his 62nd career game, Jefferson found the rare company. Reaching 6,000 yards in 62 games is an accomplishment only Lance Alworth has achieved before before. Alworth also reached 6,000 career yards in his 62nd game, in 1967, while playing for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League. Alworth is considered as the AFL’s best-ever receiver and one of the top receivers in the history of pro football.
Two receivers reached 400 catches in less than 62 games. Former New Orleans Saints standout Michael Thomas got there in just 56 games while former New York Giants’ star Odell Beckham topped the mark in 61 games.
The Vikings grabbed Jefferson in the first round of 2020 NFL Draft. He became an immediate star with 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. The next season he added 108 catches for 1,616 yards with 10 more scores.
Jefferson burst to a new level 2022. He had 128 catches for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns. Jefferson trailed off a little last year because of injuries, playing only 10 games with 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five scores.
