Three years ago, Kirk Cousins threw what looked like an arm punt on fourth-and-18 from the Minnesota Vikings’ 27-yard line in Buffalo. Justin Jefferson reached for the ball with his right hand, wrested it from Cameron Lewis’s grip, and landed without it hitting the ground.
Three years ago today: pic.twitter.com/NFpGAOktrL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 13, 2025
After the game, I asked Jefferson how he came down with that ball.
“I don’t know how to even answer that question,” he said. “God, honestly.”
Jefferson reached into the heavens for that ball, but whether there was divine intervention is open to interpretation. Still, Minnesota’s star receiver walks on water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Or at least he used to, before he dropped a catchable ball in the end zone and lollygagged after Malaki’s two picks last week.
INTERCEPTION @starks_malaki!!!!
Tune in on FOX. pic.twitter.com/S0dsZXbIlp
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 9, 2025
Dropped passes and inconsistent quarterback play have tarnished Minnesota’s glimmering receiver. Even Justin Jefferson loses a little shine with Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall under center. His production has continued to decline in J.J. McCarthy’s second year under center.
Sam Darnold connected with Jefferson deep down the field last year, but the Vikings moved on from him. In his place, they installed McCarthy. The league’s youngest starter has been inconsistent and doesn’t have the same connection with Jefferson as he has with Jalen Nailor.
All of this is out of his control. The Vikings moved on from Darnold because Kevin O’Connell wanted to develop McCarthy, and doing so gave Kwesi Adofo-Mensah more cap space to build a better roster. In response, Jefferson wants to turn back the clock and adopt his 2022 mindset.
“I only can control the things that I can control, and personally, mentally, just wanting to get back into that savage mode,” he said. “So, it’s just going out there with that F-it mentality and just going out there and just killing it, not worrying about the plays, not worrying about anything else that I can’t control.”
Life with Cousins wasn’t always tulips and butterflies. Those in plexiglas boxes don’t often throw 50/50 balls. Remember Jefferson’s feedback when Cousins took an extra beat to hit him in the end zone during his rookie year?
Justin Jefferson: “FUCK, Kirk! Comeon! Throw the ball!” pic.twitter.com/Oq9gAhPytT
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 20, 2020
However, Jefferson eventually built a rapport with Minnesota’s robo-QB, especially after Kevin O’Connell took over for Mike Zimmer in Jefferson’s third season. The quarterback guru eventually got through to his goober under center, and it led to Jefferson’s record-breaking year.
O’Connell occasionally wanted Cousins to stay on his first read, which is often Jefferson, longer instead of checking down. Still, Jefferson led the league in targets (184), receptions (128), yards (1,809), first downs (80), and yards per game (106.4) in 2022. In doing so, he broke Randy Moss’s team record of 1,632 receiving yards and Cris Carter’s record of 122 catches in a season.
Jefferson admits he’s seen people post about his lack of effort and his failure to meet his standards as a receiver. He wants to respond by being more productive.
“With football, everything flies by so fast, and you kind of miss the moments you kind of have during that time,” said Jefferson. “Looking back on it, thinking about the success we had during that season. The success I personally had: player of the year, play of the year. Just all of that stuff going on during that season.”
It’s kind of funny that Justin Jefferson is whimsical about the 2022 season. He played well, and there were memorable moments like the game in Buffalo and their 33-point comeback. Still, it ended when Brian Daboll, Daniel Jones, and Saquon Barkley ended their season as underdogs in U.S. Bank Stadium.
Since winning that game, the New York Giants have fired Daboll, released Jones, and (hilariously) let Barkley sign with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Minnesota traded for T.J. Hockenson before the 2022 deadline, allowing him to witness Jefferson’s record-breaking season as an opponent and teammate. He doesn’t necessarily think Jefferson has to go back in time to be great again.
“Every year, Jets is balling out,” said Hockenson, laughing. “I don’t know if he needs to go back anywhere. He’s still the same playmaker.”
Jefferson has improved since 2022. Most players improve with more experience and as they get closer to their prime. It’s more about not allowing outside factors like quarterback or offensive line play to affect his game.
“I’m not really mad at the situation I’m in,” Jefferson said. “I’m not mad at the players that we have or the plays that’s being called.”
However, he gets upset when a corner picks a ball the quarterback targets him with, or the Vikings lose.
“I want to win, and emotionally, things get heated sometimes,” Jefferson explained. “So, just wanting a better outcome. [With] the offense we have, I feel we should be playing better than we are.”
Justin Jefferson can’t control Minnesota’s offensive line and quarterback situation. He doesn’t get to decide how opponents defend him. He’s only so responsible for their 4-5 record. Ultimately, Jefferson wants to do what he can to transcend his situation and lift the Vikings.
He wants to leave orbit again.