Justin Jefferson, the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, chats exclusively to Sky Sports NFL about all things Minnesota Vikings, his contract, the season ahead and leadership…
The 25-year-old wide receiver signed a mammoth four-year $140m contract extension in June, which includes $110m guaranteed.
Jefferson had previously turned down a deal that would have paid him over $28m annually the day before the 2023 season started, with his new salary of $35m per year surpassing San Francisco’s Nick Bosa as NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
Minnesota host the San Francisco 49ers in Week Two, live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm Sunday, and speaking to Sky Sports NFL analyst and former Super Bowl champion Ndamukong Suh from the Vikings training base, Jefferson revealed how his dreams had been made.
“It feels great. The dreams, imagining it and to go through the contract talks, listening to my agent and hearing the conversations in those meetings, for it to finally happen is unreal,” Jefferson told Sky Sports.
“It’s something you don’t expect, and you don’t really know how it goes down or how everything is settled until you are actually in that conversation.
“The Vikings, my agent, the people on my side, everyone did phenomenal in our contract talks. No one let the media inside, no one went to social media and talked any sort of way about the contract, which was great.
“Getting it and being set with my family for a long period of time, that’s something we always dreamed about and wished for.
“To make it come true, it’s definitely a blessing.”
Since being selected by the Vikings with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 draft, Jefferson has 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns.
The 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, Jefferson has averaged 98.3 receiving yards per game – the most in NFL history for any career span – and his average of 6.5 catches per game is the second-highest of any receiver in his first four seasons.
After leading the NFL in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809) in 2022, Jefferson reached the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season in 2023 despite missing seven games due to injuries.
In terms of his ambitions for the upcoming campaign, avoiding injury is top of Jefferson’s list, who has the confidence to state he was on course for one of the greatest seasons ever in the sport until hamstring and chest injuries struck last year.
“My goal right now is to stay healthy. With last year’s injury, being out for the majority of the season, that hindered my goals,” he said.
“The way I started the season and the track I was going to was becoming one of the greatest seasons to ever happen.
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Sky Sports looks at how Jefferson’s superb catch against the Buffalo Bills compares to OBJ’s infamous grab against the Dallas Cowboys back in 2014
“So just staying healthy this year, being more of a leader, a vocal leader.
“I’m the one everyone looks at and has the target on his back. I have to take that, hold that and take the initiative.”
In terms of leadership, Jefferson feels his enormous contract can be an inspiration to teammates and players coming through the ranks.
At 25, he also reveals he has reached the stage of feeling like the main go-to figure in the Vikings squad.
“It just goes to show the work I put in. As a kid, going to college, and even still now putting in those levels and extra work. Those extra reps and catches after practice. That separates you from good and great.
“I try to tell my guys in the locker room that. I’m surprisingly one of the older guys in the room now. We have a lot of young guys, guys that are kind of looking at everything I do.
“I’m that role model and the person they are looking at. So every single chance I get, I try to teach them about the small things, try to prepare them for those contract talks when the time comes, and just being a pro at the end of the day.
“It’s all a learning phase. I’m still learning today. There are still things I need to learn and overcome. But as of now, I’m doing pretty good.
The 25-year-old says he is now the person in the locker room teammates are looking to and is the role model
“I try to get with the guys as much as possible outside of this building. When we’re in the building, it’s all football.
“Talking about football, talking about plays, talking to coaches. It’s tiring. So going out is good and I try to conversate with them as much as I can outside of football. Talk about something different to our work day.
“Younger guys like to be to themselves, at home chilling. I try to stick with them, be around them and be that friend or brother that they can always talk to.”
Live NFL
Sunday 15th September 5:00pm
On Sunday October 6, Jefferson and the Vikings will face the New York Jets in London at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The highest-paid non-quarterback in the league is looking forward to returning…
“Very excited. I was so excited for the first time so now going back, I already know London. I know a couple of places.
“UK…you know we coming in hot!”
Watch the San Francisco 49ers at the Minnesota Vikings in Week Two, live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm Sunday followed by the Cincinnati Bengals at the Kansas City Chiefs at 9.25pm; Also stream with NOW.
Before that, watch Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins face the Buffalo Bills in Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.15am in the early hours of Friday morning; Also stream with NOW.
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app – giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Stream The new EFL season, Test cricket and more top sport with NOW.