Justin Jefferson - , vikings Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-16 | Full transcript (primary source).
Justin Jefferson spoke at a press conference on September 16, 2026, addressing the team's performance and strategy following a recent game. The event provided an opportunity for Jefferson to discuss his observations and insights regarding the team's dynamics and game plan.
Transcript
Jefferson: Yeah I mean I'm not really impressed that's kind of you know what he's he's you know been doing uh you know even coming in last year and uh filling in a big role and uh you know obviously you know just coming with us and and internationally and and just you know uh doing what he do so uh you know Sunday was expected you know for him to come in and do what he normally does and obviously him being a part of the game plan him you know seeing seeing the different plays and uh the different stuff that we were doing uh during the week you know he wasn't you know just you know just you know not really knowing the game plan and he he knew everything that was going on and um I mean it was like you know college was still in there.
Jefferson: Yeah um not too many uh first team reps for sure uh but I mean it doesn't really you know matter who's really throwing the ball uh as long as you know for them they understand the system they understand the concepts uh they understand you know what we're trying to do uh especially with the way defenses have been covering us and uh you know the cloud coverages and uh just different rotations that we get throughout the the entire game uh you know he he's not new to this he's he's a he's a vet you know he has this experience of playing in his league so uh you know him just going out there and just dialing it up being poised and uh you know just controlling the offense it was definitely needed in that situation.
Jefferson: Uh hardest uh what of what of those is the most difficult? Difficult probably would be the the free play um just based off of you know just really just running down there with the uh defender on top of you and um you know really not an open you know an open play um but uh you know adjusting late getting back inside and uh catching the ball in the back of the end zone getting my feet down you know that's kind of the most difficult you know play to it just focusing on catching the ball but also focus on getting two feet in bounds as well so uh you know a free play you know if I drop the play we just go back like it's normal but uh you know a free play and an opportunity to you know get a touchdown and uh create some momentum for the offense uh that was big time for us at that moment.
Jefferson: Uh yeah it's a great question um really just instinct um hand-eye coordination uh for a few for a few of you it's it's a lot that goes into it more than people really understands but uh it's it's definitely a lot more difficult than uh than it looks you know just you know a 40-50 yard throw you know in the in the back of the end zone and a crowded stadium uh with a brown ball and uh you know uh you know sunlight coming coming through so it's a lot of you know kind of barrier cage that's that kind of gets in the way of you being able to track that ball and uh to come down with it but uh you know I focus and practice practice on it all the time every single day and uh you know just that situation just trusting in myself having that confidence in myself uh to you know catch that ball and to to get two feet down.
Jefferson: Uh repetition uh just doing it over and over again work on your hand-eye coordination one and then work on uh your awareness work and work on where seeing where you at on the field uh me understanding obviously I'm running down the field I see where I'm at on the field but uh once I look up and and locate the ball uh that's all on peripherals just you know looking at the ball but also being aware of where I'm at on the field so it's a lot of things that kind of tie into it.
Jefferson: A little mature of both um obviously if the ball was a little bit further outside I probably would have stayed outside but uh you know just seeing him on top of me and having you know kind of that leverage on top of me I felt like going inside was the best decision and uh to getting a better position uh you know Carson threw a perfect ball onto where the location should be at on to where I was I should you know be be at on the field uh you know obviously y'all can see the red lines on on our practice field but in the game it's not there so uh you know every single day just you know having this on the field and being aware of you know where to be at and the location uh to be at at certain points of time so I started inside the numbers and ended up you know outside our red line so you know it's it's just all on just trusting in you know just me just just to go track that ball but also uh knowing where to be at you know on the field during that time.
Jefferson: It doesn't really matter for for us it's more of a quarterback thing you know obviously knowing the game plan seeing the plays you know seeing you know where we're looking to go at on certain different different plays but uh for us receivers it's the same thing it's just all you know seeing the ball come out and and catching the ball so it really doesn't really matter like it's always been on who who's back there obviously we want our starter back there obviously we want Kyler to be healthy and uh him to be you know fully capable to be out there and play his full potential uh but at the end of the day you know it's it's all up to him and it's all up to the you know the staff and the protocols on on how to get him back on the field so uh if he's a hundred percent you know on on on Sunday when that time does come to make that decision then we're going to rock with him and and you know do the best we can to win and uh that's that's our the main objective every single every single game so if it don't it don't matter if it's Carson, JJ, Kyler uh the main objective is to go out there and win a game so uh it doesn't really matter for real.
Jefferson: Yeah um it's definitely you know potential to you know create some some big explosive plays uh you know they they've have you know great guys over there uh great ball trackers over there so uh we just really just just trying to be ourselves you know just obviously having Jordan me uh you know the rest of the the receiver room it's just all about getting open creating that separation we feel like we're the the best receiver room in the league so uh we just got to go out there every single Sunday and show it so uh this is another you know division opponent another matchup that uh you know we're excited to see and excited to go up against uh but you know we just got to make our statement out there on Sundays getting open catching the ball and creating those explosive plays for our team.
Jefferson: I mean his development is I feel like it is expected uh you know we've known him to be a tremendous freak athlete um him being able to come off the edge with speed power uh you know and creating just pressure in the backfield uh you know that's always something that he's been really really good at but uh obviously you know just with the years come uh he's getting a little bit more wiser smarter uh bigger stronger uh faster so uh him being able to kind of tie all of those things together and uh for for you know B flow to just let him loose and let him just go attack the quarterback and create those big plays for us and then he has gink on the other side as well so that kind of helps him uh to you know get get back there and I mean our whole kind of D line is it's been freakish and big up front especially in the middle so uh you know not too many teams can really key on him and and double team him so it's going to be excited to watch him throughout the whole entire season uh he he definitely got to go get that sack record you know some some big couple plays out there I'm expecting big things from this year.
Jefferson: Thanks everybody thank you all appreciate it.
