Vikings' Justin Jefferson Sends Clear Message to JJ McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings were one of the top contenders in the NFC during the 2024 NFL season. In 2025, they'll look to replicate that success despite going through a major change. J.J. McCarthy is set to take over as the starting quarterback after Sam Darnold left town in free agency.

No one knows what to expect from the second-year quarterback.

During his rookie season, McCarthy played in the team's first preseason game but suffered a knee injury that ended his season. He missed valuable time, but was still able to learn from the sideline.

Thankfully, McCarthy will have arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. Justin Jefferson's presence alone will make his job easier.

Speaking of Jefferson, the superstar wideout recently spoke out with a clear message to McCarthy.

During a video taken for his football camp at IMG Academy, Jefferson spoke out about his new quarterback.

"I'm excited for J.J. ... I'm definitely expecting a lot from him," Jefferson said. "So, it's definitely going to be exciting, just being a leader of the team, being a captain of the team. Seeing him go through the injury process, and him you know just waiting patiently for his chance, he's going to do his thing."

Jefferson has been absolutely dominant throughout his first five NFL seasons. He has played in 77 games, catching 495 passes for 7,432 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Randy Moss, the Vikings' legendary wide receiver, recently spoke out about Jefferson. He believes that the 26-year-old has a chance to be the greatest NFL wide receiver of all-time.

"I think Justin Jefferson is on pace to be arguably the greatest ever and definitely the greatest Viking to ever do it!" he said. "I've always been a fan of a complete football player, where you can score from anywhere on the field. And Justin brings that to the table. If you want to really be legendary, this is speaking for all wide receivers, not just Justin Jefferson, you gotta find ways to get in that end zone and bring the fans out of the stands up out of their seats."

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Minnesota has a lot to prove. The Vikings' faith in McCarthy is strong, but the young quarterback will now need to prove them right on the field.

Jefferson has high expectations for the young quarterback. Hopefully, he can live up to the hype and keep the Vikings' offense firing on all cylinders.