Bittersweet Super Bowl for Justin Jefferson
This year’s Super Bowl holds mixed feelings for Justin Jefferson. The talented wide receiver, who has earned All-Pro honors twice with the Vikings, is set to watch as Sam Darnold leads the Seahawks into battle against the Patriots next Sunday. It’s a far cry from where the Vikings hoped to be after finishing last season with a strong 14-3 record, only to be eliminated early in the playoffs.
In a recent interview, Jefferson expressed that it’s going to be “tough” to watch Darnold compete and mentioned he believes Minnesota might have had a better shot this season had Darnold stayed with them.
Still, he plans to cheer for Darnold as he faces New England, convinced that the Seahawks have the skills to take home the championship.
“It’s definitely tough; it really is,” Jefferson admitted. “I’m happy for him making it to the Super Bowl, though. He’s faced a lot of doubt over the years, but now people see him as one of the top quarterbacks. I shouldn’t be selfish, but I can’t help wishing he had performed that way for us last year. But I’m excited to see his growth and success this year.”
Darnold, who was picked third in the 2018 NFL Draft, had a rough start with the Jets but has rejuvenated his career with the Vikings, and now the Seahawks, leading them to another impressive 14-3 season, racking up more than 4,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.
In contrast, the Vikings finished with a decent 9-8 record but faced challenges in the quarterback department with players like JJ McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer taking turns under center.
Jefferson noted a dip in his production from 2024 to 2025 (1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns to just 1,048 yards and 2 touchdowns). He speculated that having Darnold’s familiarity with the offense could have made a significant difference.
“The quarterback position is notoriously difficult, and our struggle was evident,” he acknowledged. “We might have fared better if we’d had someone who was familiar with our system and the players, including me, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson.”
Amid all this, the Vikings are undergoing organizational changes, having recently fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah due to reported tensions within the team. He was the one who opted to part ways with Darnold in favor of McCarthy.
