Justin Jefferson Wants to Play But Doesn't Have a Timetable Yet
Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson has returned to practice this week, with the team opening his three-week window to be activated off injured reserve. He's going to miss a fifth consecutive game this weekend — and possibly more — due to the hamstring injury he suffered back in Week 5, but the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year is getting closer to being back out there with his teammates.
This has been Jefferson's first extended injury absence since early in his high school career. He's remained very present in the Vikings' facility and on the sideline during games, but not being able to play hasn't been easy.
"It sucks," Jefferson said on Thursday in his first press conference since the injury. "It sucks. Not being able to play, especially most of my career being healthy and not missing too many games. It definitely sucks, but it's a process. It happens. The best you can do is just recover and try to get out there as fast as possible."
Jefferson being back at practice is an important step, but as of now, it's still unclear when he'll be able to play in a game again. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said it would be "a little aggressive" for Jefferson to play on Sunday against the Saints. After that, the Vikings face the Broncos on the road in Week 11 and host the Bears in Week 12.
"It's day-to-day," Jefferson said. "You can't really put a date on it at this very moment. It's getting better and better every single day, just trying to build that strength up and making sure it doesn't come back later on in the season."
Hamstring injuries are tricky. They can linger and fluctuate — and players who return from them too quickly are often putting themselves at an elevated risk of re-injury. With that in mind, it wouldn't be all that shocking if Jefferson sits for another three games and returns after the Vikings' Week 13 bye.
It'll all depend on how he feels. If he's back to 100 percent before the Broncos or Bears game, he'll be out there. But he's not coming back until he truly is at 100 percent.
"The guys and the coaching staff in this building know my worth on the field and they want me 100 percent, as I do as well," Jefferson said. "I don't want to go out there 80, 90 percent and have the chance of hurting it again. I don't want to have any doubts in my mind that it's going to come back or continue to linger throughout the season. When that time comes, I'll definitely be ready to step on the field."
Jefferson was off to an incredible start to this season, even by his historic standards. Four weeks into the season, he had 33 catches for a league-leading 543 yards and three touchdowns. Then he got hurt in the Vikings' loss against the Chiefs.
When the Vikings were 1-4, there was some speculation about Jefferson — who didn't sign a contract extension this offseason — not rushing back to play. That idea is gone now that the team has rattled off a four-game winning streak without him, but Jefferson said he was never going to choose to sit out, no matter the Vikings' record.
"That's a no-brainer," he said about wanting to return to action. "I'm always gonna want to play football, whether we didn't win a game or if we had won every single game this season. I love the game of football. I always say that I want to be a Hall of Famer, so I can't just sit out, missing games for the fun of it because we're not doing well. I know I have a big role on this team and I know that every chance I get to be on that field, I wanna make the most of those opportunities."
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