Justin Jefferson: 'I don't want to go out there 80-90 percent'
Justin Jefferson, barring a setback with his hamstring injury, will return to the Minnesota Vikings within three weeks. It's evident now that he's highly unlikely to play this Sunday when the Vikings host the Saints, but if his words in his first press conference since suffering the injury Oct. 8 suggest he's getting very close to playing again.
"I'd say day-to-day. You can't really put a date on it this very moment," Jefferson said Thursday.
"It's getting better and better every single day. Just trying to build that strength up and just making sure that [the injury] doesn't come back later in the season. Just working with everybody and making sure that I'm gettin the proper treatment and the proper strength that I need to put back into my hamstring."
Jefferson, who despite missing the past four games is 18th in the NFL with 571 receiving yards and tied for the fifth most receptions of 20+ yards (13), injured his hamstring in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's Week 5 loss to the Chiefs.
Jefferson was averaging 114.2 yards per game before suffering the injury Oct. 8.
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"It's just all about how I'm feeling and how strong the hamstring is. Hamstring is a difficult injury just because it lingers and it comes back from time to time if you don't put the right treatment into it," Jefferson said. "I don't want to go out there 80-90 percent and have the chance of hurting it again. It's day-to-day just like I said, and when that time comes I'll definitely be ready to step out on that field."
If Jefferson doesn't play Sunday, his next opportunity will come on the national stage when the Vikings and Broncos play Nov. 19 on Sunday Night Football.
