Joe Burrow Recalls How Justin Jefferson Didn’t Talk to Him For Almost 2 Weeks After Not Getting a Touchdown in 2 Straight Games

Joe Burrow Recalls How Justin Jefferson Didn’t Talk to Him For Almost 2 Weeks After Not Getting a Touchdown in 2 Straight Games

Justin Jefferson and Joe Burrow (Image via IMAGO)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow were teammates at LSU. The dynamic duo won the College Football Championship in 2019, etching their name in college royalty.

To understand Jefferson and Burrow’s greatness, these two contributed 165 receptions for 2,415 yards and 24 touchdowns in two seasons. During the legendary 2019 season, they had 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns.

However, there may have been one time when Burrow and Jefferson weren’t on speaking terms.

There was a two-week stretch during his time with LSU where Justin Jefferson didn’t get a touchdown… He didn’t talk to me for the entire next week. I was like, ‘I’ll get you a touchdown, bro. You don’t have to pout all week on me’.

Joe Burrow joked at the Fanatics Fest

Burrow was drafted first overall by the Bengals in 2020. Twenty-one picks later, the Vikings selected Jefferson. Neither has won a Super Bowl ring, but experts consider both players top athletes in their respective positions.

Jefferson has won four Pro Bowls and a couple of All-Pro honors, including the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2022. Burrow, meanwhile, has three Pro Bowls and a couple of Comeback Player of the Year awards in his CV.

Out of the two, Burrow came close to winning a ring. In 2021, the Bengals qualified for the Super Bowl by defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Their first final appearance since 2018 ended in heartbreak. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams.

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Justin Jefferson sends clear message to Vikings quarterbacks ahead of the new season

Unlike the Bengals, the Vikings haven’t had a true quarterback since Kirk Cousins. It has been a revolving door ever since Cousins left to explore new opportunities.

Joe Burrow Recalls How Justin Jefferson Didn't Talk to Him For Almost 2 Weeks After Not Getting a Touchdown in 2 Straight Games
Justin Jefferson (Image via IMAGO)

In 2024, the Vikings drafted former Michigan and CFP champion JJ McCarthy, hoping to turn him into their franchise quarterback. JJ suffered a season-ending injury and spent his rookie year in rehab.

In year two, McCarthy went 6-4 but had one of the worst completion percentages (57.6%) in the league. The Vikings dove into the free agency market and signed Heisman Trophy winner and former first overall pick, Kyler Murray, on a one-year deal.

Experts believe Murray will pip McCarthy to the starter’s job. Jefferson acknowledged that Murray’s experience gives him an edge over McCarthy, but he urged not to count JJ out.

[Kyler Murray’s] going into year eight, and J.J. is going into year three. So, it’s a little bit different. The vet in Kyler is always gonna maybe stick out a little bit from J.J., just because J.J. is still learning. The quarterback position is not just given to Kyler; it’s earned. He still has to prove himself to be the starter of our team.

Justin Jefferson said (H/T USA Today Sports)

Justin Jefferson slips to second in the latest ESPN rankings

Last week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released the NFL’s best wide receiver list after taking votes of NFL coaches, executives and scouts. Jefferson ranked second, he was first on last year’s list.

Jefferson, a past No. 1 on this list with a historic six-year start to his career, did not vie for the top spot as strongly as he has in years past. But he registered No. 1 or No. 2 votes on around 70% of the ballots, with several voters considering him a cut above the rest.

Jeremy Fowler wrote

Jefferson’s former LSU teammate and Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase placed first. Super Bowl champion and Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba ranked third.

Jefferson has played 94 games with the Vikings. He has caught 579 passes for 8480 yards and 42 touchdowns.

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