Kevin SeifertESPN Staff Writer November 9, 2023, 3:38 PM ET3 minute read
EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings and All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson are on the same page: Although his time to return to practice was opened this week, Jefferson will not play a game until his injured right Achilles tendon has fully healed.
“The hamstring injury is a difficult injury simply because it lasts a long time and comes back from time to time if you don’t treat it properly,” Jefferson said Thursday, his first public comment since his Oct. 8 injury.
“The guys and the rest of the coaching staff in this building know what I’m worth on the field and they want me 100 percent, just like I do. I don’t want to go out there at 80 or 90 percent and have that.” There’s a chance it could hurt again. It’s just everyday, and when the time comes, I’ll definitely be ready to go out there.”
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has expressed similar sentiments during the early stages of Jefferson’s recovery, in which the team won four straight games to advance to the NFC playoffs. O’Connell said this week that it would be “a little aggressive” to have Jefferson return for Sunday’s game against the Saints, pushing back his earliest possible return to Nov. 19 at the Broncos. The deadline by which the Vikings can add him to their active roster is December 6th, which is their bye week.
However, Jefferson said it is a given that he will return as soon as he is ready, no matter what position the Vikings are in at the time. Since his injury, the Vikings have lost their top three quarterbacks – Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall – to injuries. Of Jefferson’s 360 career catches, 354 were thrown by Cousins.
Jefferson is also sticking by the terms of his rookie contract after he and the Vikings were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension this summer.
But he said: “I will always want to play football, whether we haven’t won a game or whether we’ve won every single game this season.”
Jefferson added: “I love the game of football. “I always say I want to be a Hall of Famer, so I can’t just sit out and miss games just for fun or because we’re not doing well.” I know I play a big role on this team and I know that every chance I get to play on this field, I want to make the most of those opportunities.”
Jefferson suffered the injury after slipping on the slot-liner artificial turf at US Bank Stadium, which is scheduled to be replaced after this season. According to data compiled jointly by the league and the NFL Players Association, slot sheet turf in NFL stadiums has a higher rate of non-contact lower body injuries.
The slot liner turf at two stadiums – MetLife Stadium (Giants/Jets) and the Lions’ Ford Field – was replaced last offseason.
Jefferson said Thursday that the turf at US Bank Stadium “might have been a little bit of an issue” in the injury, but added: “I’m not going to blame it on the turf.”
Ultimately, however, his determination to return to 100 percent will allay any concerns about the pitch.
“I want there to be no doubt that it will come back and continue throughout the season,” he said. “I think that’s kind of the main goal, to get to 100 percent.”