Justin Jefferson's on-field exploits speak for themselves.
But what do new faces in the Vikings building think of him?
Alec Lewis of The Athletic conversed with 10 newcomers, ranging from the leader of Minnesota's scout defense, Bobby McCain, to a defender named to his first Pro Bowl, to visualize Jefferson's humble stardom.
Lewis wrote the following:
[Cam] Robinson had heard a few things through the grapevine, but even players don't know which perceptions are real and which are legend. Was Jefferson really that committed to the team instead of individual achievements? Did he really blend into the locker room like one of the guys?
The consensus is a resounding yes. Jefferson is super in his attitude, abilities and aura.
"You feel his joy," quarterbacks coach Josh McCown said.
"Worth every single penny," cornerback Shaq Griffin quipped. "Every single penny."
Robinson shared a straightforward assessment: "I've never played with a receiver like this."
Casual and hardcore football fans likely would agree that they've never witnessed it, either.
Jefferson's 7,378 receiving yards through his first 76 career games is 37 more than the next closest player, Julio Jones, and 845 more than No. 3 on the all-time sheet, Odell Beckham, Jr. – his 97.1 yards per game is the gold standard; his record-setting pace is breaking the constraints of the loftiest imaginations.
It's all a product of Jefferson's work behind the scenes, as Lewis described:
Teammates admire his consistency. Defensive end Jihad Ward, a Philadelphia native, compares Jefferson's skill set to Allen Iverson's in that he is doing things only he can at his size in an aesthetically cool way. What differs from Iverson, Ward knows, is Jefferson's affinity for practice.
"How hard he goes in practice is rare," 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore told Lewis. "I mean, most guys … they think they can turn it on in the game. He actually puts the work in."
McCown likens Jefferson's approach in practice to all-time receiving greats Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith, Sr. – his former teammates in Arizona and Carolina. For instance, Jefferson treats monotonous things such as exiting huddles in practice and hustling to the line of scrimmage with care.
Some superstars walk, and teammates are forced to hold tongues because of an unspoken hierarchy.
But never 'Jets.' His energy to be the best at everything he does emanates to every branch of the team.
Just take the word of edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, one of the league's best free-agent signings.
"You see guys who are prima donnas," Greenard said, implying Jefferson is the opposite. "They don't usually, like, care about the dirty work. They only care about their stats. He cares about winning, man."
Players rank toughest places to play
The Vikings would benefit tremendously from a 15th regular-season win and bye in the NFC Playoffs.
For two equally massive reasons: more rest and home-field advantage in the Divisional Round.
ESPN writer Ben Baby this week inspected with help from 111 NFL players which stadiums make for the toughest environments because of common denominators such as design, decibels and diehard fandom.
Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium holds the Guinness World Record for decibel level (142.2 DB); Seattle's 12th Man bellows in a uniquely shaped venue, and famously rowdy fans breed palpable hostility at Buffalo and Philadelphia. Noise, altitude and other elements amplify challenges of playing in certain places.
It's no surprise then that U.S. Bank Stadium ranked highly – try, in the league's top three.
"They made me think differently about how I approach just being on the sideline, just staying focused on the game and not worrying about everything else," San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner said to ESPN.
The tabulation used a ranked voting system that awarded two points for a first-place nod, one for second place and half a point for third. Minnesota earned 28.5 points, behind Seattle (41.5) and Kansas City (57).
Among fan interactions, struggles for visitors to communicate and musical impact, Baby noted that the single-most trait found in the toughest stadiums to play is they usually housed the toughest opponents.
Although the Vikings stomping grounds are indoors, shielded from what can be a brutal winter climate, it's an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere for opponents coming from as far away as both coasts.
"You feel it," New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton said. "As soon as you walk in there, everything is purple. You feel like you're out of place there. That is what a good atmosphere does. It makes you feel like you're in the wrong place. If you're in a different color, you feel like you don't belong in there."
One AFC South player that was granted anonymity had a visceral reaction to a quick deficit.
"I heard that 'SKOL' chant early and often," he said. "Kind of scarred from that. But it's a cool place."
Philadelphia (18.5), Buffalo (18) and New Orleans (16.5) followed the top stadiums, while Denver (12.5), Green Bay (11.5) and Pittsburgh (10) led Tier 3 and wrapped up the teams earning in double digits.
Thirteen other clubs, including Minnesota's Week 18 opponent, Detroit (9.5), collected votes. There was one full division that lacked representation – the AFC South, which has allowed a .563 winning percentage to opponents since 2021. That's the highest for any division, according to ESPN Research.
Check out the entirety of Baby's article here.
