Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Takes Offense to Social Media Post by NFL

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson voiced his displeasure with the NFL’s social media team Sunday when the league’s account on X, formerly Twitter, shared a photo of a fan holding what he thought was an inappropriate sign. 

After the Detroit Lions scored a touchdown in their eventual win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round, NBC cameras cut to a Lions fan holding a sign that referenced coach Dan Campbell’s legendary introductory press conference in January 2021. 

“So this team’s going to be built on—we’re gonna kick you in the teeth, all right. And when you punch us back, we’re gonna smile at you,” Campbell said three years ago. “And when you knock us down, we’re gonna get up. And on the way up, we’re gonna bite a kneecap off, all right.

“And we’re gonna stand up, and then it’s gonna take two more shots to knock us down. And on the way up, we’re gonna take your other kneecap, and we’re gonna get up and then it’s gonna take three shots to get us down. And when we do, we’re gonna take another hunk out of you. Before long, we’re gonna be the last one standing. That’s gonna be the mentality.”

The fan’s sign listed each team Detroit has beaten in recent weeks to advance to the NFC championship game and specifically listed “kneecap” next to the Los Angeles Rams and Vikings. 

“Yall wild for this this,” Jefferson wrote. “This ain’t cool!!”

Jefferson is almost certainly referring to knee injuries incurred by Lions’ opponents in recent weeks.

During the Lions’ wins against the Vikings in the regular-season finale and Rams in the wild-card round, Detroit defensive back Kerby Joseph dealt hard hits directly on two players’ knees that ended their seasons. Minnesota tight end T.J. Hockenson and Rams tight end Tyler Higbee both suffered ACL injuries as a result.

It’s unlikely the NFL’s social media team made the connection, but Jefferson clearly was disappointed either way.