Justin Jefferson Aims for NFL’s First 2,000-Yard Receiving Season

Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has high hopes for 2022. In just his third NFL season, he’s aiming to have the best year a receiver has ever had. Jefferson said he wants to be the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards in one year. 

“I hope so,” Jefferson told the Pioneer Press on Monday. “I think I can. Hopefully, everything goes right and I can get that 2,000. That’s my goal.”

Only two receivers in NFL history have eclipsed 1,900 receiving yards in a season. The first was Calvin Johnson when he reached 1,964 yards in 2012 and the second is Cooper Kupp who had 1,947 yards this past campaign, the first year that the NFL played a 17-game season. 

In 2020, Jefferson broke the Vikings rookie receiving record when he logged 1,400 receiving yards. In 2021, he tallied 108 catches and 1,616 receiving yards and did not miss a game all year. If he can improve and quarterback Kirk Cousins and new coach Kevin O’Connell continue to run a pass-heavy offense, Jefferson will have a good shot. 

“That would be big,” Jefferson said on breaking the record. “Just breaking the record my rookie year and then also breaking a record in my third year, that would be crazy for me. That’s going to be a goal for me, for sure.”

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