It is no surprise that Netflix’s new docu-series “Receiver” has taken the NFL World by storm, especially given the success of ” Quarterback”. This new series features four wideouts and a tight end, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the lives and experiences of star players. Among them is Justin Jefferson, who shared a moment he’d prefer not to relive.
Advertisement
Jefferson narrated the whole experience, sharing what went through his mind as he came back from injury after two months. Following a bright start to the season, he suffered a hamstring injury against the Chiefs in game week 5 and was placed on injured reserve, where he spent the next 9 match weeks.
The day finally came back when he returned to the field in game week 14 against the Raiders. With his entire family in attendance, Justin started strong in what turned out to be one of the most thrilling games of the season. He caught his first pass in over two months for a 12-yard gain.
With both teams tied, Dobbs threw a quick, slightly high pass in the middle of the field. Jefferson leaped to make a catch, only to receive a crushing blow to the back, knocking the wind out of him.
As he walked towards the sideline, he began to cough persistently, which intensified when he sat down and took off his helmet. Justin revealed that he was coughing up blood and was taken to the medical tent to identify the source of the bleeding, leaving him devastated.
It was a tough moment for someone who had spent weeks on the sidelines. He was ushered off the field and taken to the hospital in an ambulance, an experience he hopes never to repeat.
“Trainers gathered around me and they said they had to take me to the tent to make further evaluations. I’m like not again. I don’t ever want to go in the back of an ambulance again. That was my first time ever going in the back of one…I definitely did not enjoy that experience.”
Jefferson’s return from injury wasn’t as he envisioned. After suffering another bruising hit, the Vikings lost close matchups against the Bengals and the Lions in subsequent weeks, ending their playoff hopes. Despite his best efforts and playmaking abilities, he couldn’t carry his team over the line.
Coming back from injury after two whole months was already hard, but it got harder to not see his QB1 not on the field next to him in the huddle.
Justin Jefferson Remembers The Tough Transition in Kirk Cousins’s Absence
Things might have been different if Cousins hadn’t blown his Achilles in the first half of the season. Following his injury, the QB position became a revolving door, creating uncertainty that was particularly challenging for a player coming back from injury. This instability derailed their season.
Jefferson stated that it was difficult to develop chemistry and be on the same page with multiple QBs. In the NFL, where opportunities to make a difference are limited, this inconsistency was a significant hurdle.
He had to rely on himself to make plays and propel the team forward. Records do not show that effort which makes everything more frustrating for the WR.
Despite an injury-plagued season, Justin Jefferson still managed to put up 1000 yards. He also set an NFL record for most receiving yards through a player’s first four seasons. The highest-paid non-QB would have to go again next season without his QB, Kirk Cousins.
