Inside The Vikings

Vikings Rookie WRs Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn Give Back During Pandemic

Jefferson and Osborn have each made recent donations to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Vikings Rookie WRs Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn Give Back During Pandemic
Vikings Rookie WRs Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn Give Back During Pandemic

Vikings rookie wide receivers Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn haven't signed their first NFL contracts yet, but they're still stepping up and helping out during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Jefferson, who the Vikings selected in the first round of this year's NFL draft, recently teamed up with a pair of companies to donate 10,000 face masks to Children's Minnesota. 

Masks are one of the best tools we have in the effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Jefferson's donation not only provides masks for children, parents, and health care workers, but it helps raise awareness on the importance of widespread mask usage.

"Excited to donate much needed Bella+Canvas masks to Children's MN with the help of the Vikings in an effort to flatten the curve," Jefferson wrote on Instagram. "We just sent 10,000 masks yesterday to fight COVID-19, but it only works if everyone wears their mask."

Osborn, a fifth-round pick, went with a different route to help fight against this pandemic. He recently returned to his hometown of Ypsilanti, MI, and donated bottles of hand sanitizer to residents of the community.

“It’s great; it’s huge,” Osborn told MLive. “It’s something I wanted to do since I was a kid. I’ve been blessed to be in a position I’m in to be able to come back here to my roots and give back to the community. It’s the first of many so I’m really happy.”

These two rookie receivers are following in the footsteps of the veteran leader at their position. Earlier this offseason, Adam Thielen's foundation donated $100,000 to various causes to help families during this crisis, and also hosted a radiothon to raise additional funds.

Back in March when this pandemic began in the United States, the Wilfs and the Vikings organization donated $500,000 in COVID-19 relief.

Join the conversation at InsideTheVikings by clicking the follow button in the upper right-hand corner of this page (mobile users, tap the bell icon – you may have to click ‘News’ first), and follow @WillRagatz on Twitter.


Published
Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

Share on XFollow WillRagatz