Louisiana has become a pipeline for elite NFL wide receivers, but few would argue that the best of the bunch is Justin Jefferson—the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. “Jettas” has come a long way from being an overlooked three-star prospect in high school to one of the most dominant receivers in the NFL.
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Since entering the league in 2020, he has already put together a résumé worthy of Hall of Fame consideration—a trajectory that Hall of Famer Cris Carter has compared to the legendary Larry Fitzgerald.
Carter appeared on the latest episode of Up& Adams Show and when asked about his impression of Jefferson beyond the field, he expressed confidence in his abilities:
“He has done it the right way. He reminds me of a different version of Larry Fitzgerald. He is a little flashier but he is authentic. Larry is authentic and that’s who he is, that’s the way he always wanted to be.”
Comparing Larry and Jettas, Carter called the former Cardinal widout a diva receiver. According to Carter, he has a penchant for a lot of finer things in life, but he went about his business in a certain way, showing professionalism, and never complained about anything,g including playing in Arizona when he knew his chances of winning trophies were slim.
Larry had an exemplary relationship with his teammates and carried himself with grace in public. Jefferson is similar in this way. He is always striving to get better and asks all the right questions.
With a lot of tape of him making plays, teams are bound to figure out ways to limit his involvement. Therefore, he keeps trying to retain that edge, trying to make himself better and add versatility to his route running. But he isn’t alone in this process as Keenan McCardell.
Keenan McCardell makes Justin Jefferson better
Cris Carter highlighted the role of the Vikiings’ Wide-Reciever coach, Keenan McCardell, in improving Jefferson’s game every year. He believes coaching has made a huge difference in the player’s game, and having someone like Keenan has been a blessing for Jefferson. The Hall of Famers praised the Vikings WR Coach, calling him “truly one of the best wide receivers coach.”
“He also got the blessing of, he’s got Keenan McCardell as his wide receivers coach…If I had a son, he’s playing pro football, he’s got be playing for the Vikings and Keenan McCardell.”
After an injury-plagued season last year, Jefferson bounced back by playing all 17 games this season. He hauled in 103 receptions for 1,533 yards, averaging 90.2 yards per game—slightly lower than his previous three seasons—but still found the end zone 10 times, helping the Vikings finish with a stellar 15-2 record.
However, the postseason told a familiar story. Minnesota once again fell short in the Wild Card round, with Jefferson managing just five catches for 58 yards. Despite signing a massive four-year, $140 million extension this offseason, keeping him in Minnesota through 2028, he’ll still be just 29 when the deal expires.
If the Vikings continue their trend of postseason disappointment, Jefferson might start thinking about chasing glory elsewhere, just as Randy Moss once did when he left Minnesota for New England.
