Justin Jefferson Is about to Make History (Again)
It seems like it happens every week, but here we are again, discussing how Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is about to put his name in the history books. We should all probably get used to this as if we aren’t already. It seems like during the broadcast of every single Vikings contest, no matter the network, there’s always at least one mention of the history Jefferson has already made or is coming up on making very soon.
Just last week, Jefferson eclipsed Torry Holt to become the all-time receiving yardage leader (6,811 and counting) in NFL history for a player in their first 5 seasons. Jefferson impressively achieved this feat in ten fewer games than Holt did and still has seven more games to run up the record for the next generation of young receivers to chase.
Justin Jefferson Is Having Another Elite Season
Jefferson enters Week 12 at 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards this season with 912, trailing only his LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, who has 1,056. While Chase is pacing the 2024 NFL receiving yards title with a comfortable lead over Jefferson as it stands, Jefferson is pacing another season of at least 1,600 receiving yards. This would be his 3rd season of having at least that amount and his 4th season of having at least 1,400. He would have at least that number in all of his seasons played so far if he wasn’t sidelined for much of 2023 with a lingering hamstring issue.
Among wide receivers per PFF, Jefferson boasts an 86.0 receiving grade (8th in the NFL) and 2.75 yards per route run (5th in the NFL). If Jefferson’s averages are extrapolated over the rest of this season’s games, he will finish with 100 receptions on 146 targets, 1,550 yards, and 9 TDs. He also leads the NFL in passing completing percentage at 100%!
Jefferson Eyes Another Historical Milestone
Mike Evans, A.J. Green, Randy Moss. A pretty good trio of pass catchers, right? Well, with Justin Jefferson sitting at 912 yards on the season before his divisional showdown against Jaylon Johnson and the Chicago Bears, JJettas needs just 88 yards to become the 4th player in NFL history to put up 1,000 yards in each of their first five seasons, per NFL Pro‘s insights.
It’s made even more special when you take into account that all-time greats like Jerry Rice, Larry Fitzgerald, and Terrell Owens weren’t able to achieve such a feat. Stefon Diggs didn’t do it, Tyreek Hill didn’t do it, A.J. Brown didn’t do it, Cooper Kupp didn’t do it, and so on.
Most of the best young receivers of today, like Ceedee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk, and Devonta Smith (as well as players like Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison), aren’t even eligible to achieve this since they’ve all already had at least one season of less than 1,000 yards.
We are legitimately in the territory of discussions in the near future arising about Jefferson being among the all-time greats, and as he continues to chase the greatness of Jerry Rice, we will be talking about some sort of historical accomplishment that Jefferson has made or will make very often.
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