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Justin Jefferson's Bizarre Pregame Look Has NFL Fans Doing a Double Take

The Vikings wide receiver arrived for Monday night's game in an all-black ensemble that sent fans straight to the movie references.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at U.S. Bank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Justin Jefferson looked ready for a fight scene. The football game could wait.

The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver made quite an entrance ahead of Monday night's matchup with the Buffalo Bills, arriving in an oversized black leather trench coat, matching pants, dark sunglasses and heavy black boots.

The outfit was dramatic enough on its own. Add Jefferson's braids, silver jewelry and black duffel bag, and the whole thing looked like it belonged on a movie set.

NFL fans certainly thought so.

When the league shared video of Jefferson walking through the stadium, the comments quickly filled with references to "The Matrix," the 1999 science-fiction film starring Keanu Reeves.

And once someone made the comparison, it was difficult to see anything else.

NFL Fans Have Plenty to Say About Justin Jefferson's Outfit

Jefferson didn't need to say a word to get people talking.

The Vikings star walked past the cameras in his all-black ensemble, sunglasses firmly in place, seemingly unfazed by the attention. Meanwhile, fans watching the video had already decided he looked remarkably familiar.

"Out here looking like Neo," one person commented, referring to Reeves' character in "The Matrix."

"Bro is about to enter the matrix," another wrote.

A third added, "Straight out of The Matrix."

Others saw a different action hero.

"Boy dressed like blade," one fan joked, comparing Jefferson to the vampire hunter played by Wesley Snipes.

Someone else suggested the outfit resembled Agent Smith, the sharply dressed antagonist from "The Matrix." Another went in an entirely different direction, referencing the 2006 comedy "Grandma's Boy."

The comments kept coming, with fans comparing the trench coat to everything from a shower curtain to a roll of black tape.

There was no shortage of creativity, although the overwhelming consensus was that Jefferson looked considerably more prepared to dodge bullets than catch passes.

Jefferson's Fashion Statement Comes With a Side of Football Jokes

Of course, this is the NFL. Even a fashion conversation eventually finds its way back to the field.

Some fans couldn't resist poking fun at the amount of attention Jefferson's arrival received.

"Just for a whooping 4 receptions, 24 yards and a touchdown," one commenter wrote.

Another offered a more optimistic interpretation of the outfit: "Bro came looking like he bout to save your season."

Jefferson has long treated his pregame arrivals as an opportunity to show off his personal style. And as one of the NFL's most recognizable wide receivers, he doesn't exactly have to work hard to get noticed.

Still, there's something particularly entertaining about an outfit that sends thousands of football fans digging through their favorite action movies for comparisons.

Jefferson may have been headed to play the Bills, but judging by the comments, plenty of people thought he had another assignment first.

Saving the world, apparently.

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Maggie MacKenzie
MAGGIE MACKENZIE

Maggie MacKenzie is a Boston-based writer and editor who has spent more than a decade covering sports and entertainment, with a deep focus on NASCAR. At NASCAR.com she covered the sport from race-weekends and analysis to larger stories covering the athletes, teams and series. Maggie has also held editorial roles across sports media, including as a copy editor and writer at Sports Business Journal, where she worked on coverage of the business side of professional sports, and at Heavy.com covering sports and entertainment. Maggie has been writing and editing professionally for more than ten years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Fairfield University and an MBA from Babson College.