Sports For the predominant time in his NFL occupation, Justin Jefferson’s starting quarterback is perchance not Kirk Cousins.
Cousins, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback who helped Jefferson become one of NFL’s simplest huge receivers all the draw in which by their four years alongside with the Minnesota Vikings, left to designate a four-year contract value as a lot as $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons when NFL free agency opened in march.
Jefferson talked about he understood Cousins’ decision in a radio interview Tuesday.
“Yeah and no,” Jefferson talked about when asked whether or not he become as soon as surprised that Cousins headed to Atlanta within the offseason.
“I constantly knew Kirk become as soon as going to plan whatever he needs to plan for his change-colorful. I staunch knew that every thing wasn’t the style that he mandatory it to be here. Particularly with having to pay me, and having to pay so many other diversified guys. I feel bask in he staunch mandatory a brand fresh commence up, and a brand fresh alternative to commence up with Atlanta, and a natty slate.”
Jefferson wired that he become as soon as not infected “at all” at Cousins for the choice he made.
“I am grateful for what he has brought to me and the issues that we have done together,” Jefferson persevered. “But on the end of the day or not it is a change, and also you’ll be in a position to have gotta plan what you gotta plan to your self and your loved ones, and I clearly imprint that.”
“The subsequent” for Jefferson and the Vikings is either extinct free agent signing Sam Darnold, or J.J. McCarthy, who grew to become the No. 10 general option in April’s 2024 NFL draft for Minnesota after having won a aational championship with Michigan final school football season. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has indicated that Darnold will have a exiguous edge over McCarthy within the discontinuance to term given his six years of NFL expertise, and Jefferson talked about he has enjoyed his time with Darnold to this point.
“I feel bask in Sam is doing a enormous job with staunch talking and staunch connecting with the gamers,” he talked about. “He understands that he’s the fresh man. We have got to bond with him, and we deserve to create that connection and that chemistry with him. And he’s an older man. It be not bask in he’s fresh into the league, so he more or less is conscious of how to socialize, how to discuss, how to refer to us.
“No longer most efficient staunch about football, but staunch on the total. Factual talking about diversified issues, staunch bask in how me and Kirk extinct to plan. But to have Sam in there, more of a extinct, older mindset, to have J.J. attain in and be taught from him as neatly, or not it is positively something that we wanted, and I agree with will doubtless be enormous for J.J. as neatly.”
But Jefferson is already partial to McCarthy as neatly, incandescent that the the 21-year-frail rookie is doubtless Minnesota’s — and, by extension, Jefferson’s — quarterback of the long jog.
“I bask in J.J.,” Jefferson talked about. “He’s indubitably studying, he’s positively looking for to be taught. Asking questions. They place JJ’s locker actual subsequent to mine, staunch bask in how they did Kirk. So I already know their mindset and the draw in which they desire issues to hunch. They need me to be that man that J.J. can constantly consult with and count on questions about. He’s indubitably that form of kid. He positively needs to count on questions. He needs to be taught to become a high quarterback. He needs to be taught to become an subject in this league.”
Davante Adams says Justin Jefferson is the ideal WR within the NFL apart from himself “I bask in his perspective. I bask in his questioning and his curiosity to are looking for to become something. So I am positively having a search forward to what he has to elevate to our team. For sure, there would possibly be quite loads of expectations from him. But I constantly verbalize him, plan not finally ache in regards to the expectations. All you will want to plan is staunch elevate your self with self assurance.”
Whether or not it is Darnold or McCarthy who finally ends up with starting responsibilities makes no distinction to Jefferson. He’s confident in his sport-altering ability regardless, a skill rewarded with the four-year, $140 million contract extension including $110 million guaranteed that he signed with the Vikings final month.
“It doesn’t finally matter what quarterback it is miles in my eyes,” Jefferson talked about. “I am constantly gonna are trying and plan the ideal of the alternative. I am constantly gonna are trying and be the quarterback’s buddy, and plan his job plenty more uncomplicated.”
[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily .]
FOLLOW Apply your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports expertise
National Football League
Justin Jefferson
Minnesota Vikings
Catch more from National Football League Apply your favorites to acquire knowledge about video games, info and more
