MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Jefferson has set another record, and the player he surpassed was on the opposing sideline for this one.
The Vikings wide receiver now has the most receiving yards through a player's first two seasons in the league. Jefferson passed Odell Beckham, Jr., who was at U.S. Bank Stadium with the Rams on Sunday.
Jefferson needed just 21 yards to surpass Beckham's record of 2,755 receiving yards in his first two seasons in the league, which he set in 2014 and 2015 with the Giants.
Jefferson passed Beckham (his friend and fellow former LSU star) with a 9-yard catch in the third quarter in the Week 16 game against Los Angeles. He totaled 14 yards on two catches in the first half.
The 22-year-old set another major milestone in Purple on Monday, when he eclipsed Randy Moss for the most receiving yards through any Vikings player's first two seasons in the league.
Moss was on the sideline in Chicago for that accolade, just as Beckham was in person for Jefferson breaking his mark on Sunday.
Jefferson paid homage to Beckham by wearing a T-shirt with his image on it in pregame warmups. Beckham also paid tribute by wearing pictures of Jefferson on his own T-shirt before the game.
Jefferson set a Super Bowl-era rookie record in 2020 by racking up 1,400 receiving yards. He has continued his dominance so far in 2021, as he entered Week 16 with 1,335 receiving yards (the second-most in the league).
"It's going to mean a lot. I remember last year I was talking to him right before I broke the receiving record last year," Jefferson said last week. "It's going to be exciting to top his name again. The connection we have together, it's definitely an honor to be listed with the greats that are up there."
The 22-year-old Jefferson was named to his second straight Pro Bowl on Monday.