Justin Jefferson Shows Love for Sam Darnold in Touching Message Before Sunday Showdown

Justin Jefferson has become known for uplifting teammates, recently praising JJ McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and even former teammate Sam Darnold.

Justin Jefferson Shows Love for Sam Darnold in Touching Message Before Sunday Showdown

Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson played together for the Vikings in the 2024-25 season (Image via Bleacher Report)

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The Minnesota Vikings are playing the Seattle Seahawks later today at Lumen Field. Ahead of the game, Vikings’ 26-year-old wide receiver Justin Jefferson shared his adoration for former teammate and Seattle signal-caller Sam Darnold.

Sam Darnold played one season in Minnesota after projected starter JJ McCarthy sustained a season-ending injury. Darnold led the Vikings to fourteen wins, their best season since 1988 when they went 15-1.

Under Darnold in the center, Jefferson registered his fifth straight season with more than 1000 receiving yards. Jefferson was Darnold’s top target as the wideout finished with 103 receptions, 1,533 yards, and 10 touchdowns.

There’s no doubt that the two had a sweet camaraderie despite their early playoff exit. While Darnold has found the same rhythm with his new team, the Vikings have stumbled. The Seahawks are second in the NFC West with an 8-3 record. They were the best-ranked wildcard team in the league ahead of the Sunday’s games.

Jefferson praised Darnold and pointed out Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s position in receiving charts while calling out Darnold’s critics. Jefferson told reporters in a press conference ahead of their game:

He’s definitely balling. It’s hard to miss it when [their] number one receiver is top in the NFL. He’s been killin’ it. Of course, you know, some people will talk about the bad games that he’s had, but all in all, he’s leading his team to victories, so that’s the main thing. It’s definitely going to be tough to go to their home in that environment to get a win.

Justin Jefferson starts under a brand new quarterback against the Seattle Seahawks

JJ McCarthy entered the NFL’s concussion protocol last week, and Carson Wentz’s early exit has paved for a new man in center for the mighty purple warriors. The Minnesota Vikings are prepared to start with an undrafted rookie quarterback from the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Max Brosmer.

Max Brosmer
Max Brosmer (Image via Imagn Images)

Max Brosmer will become the first undrafted quarterback to play for the Minnesota Vikings since Nick Mullens’ 2023 Week 16 start against the Detroit Lions. He will be the first undrafted rookie since 2001 and second overall to start as a quarterback for the Vikings. St. Cloud native Todd Bouman started for the Vikings over two decades ago.

As the Vikings prepare for battle with Brosmer, he will start as the 19th backup quarterback this season. Also, the history isn’t in Brosmer’s favor later today. There have been five instances where a team experimented with an undrafted rookie quarterback in a road game. And Kyle Allen is the sole one to walk away with a win. Allen, starting for the Carolina Panthers, defeated the New Orleans Saints in 2018.

A lot is riding on Brosmer’s shoulder. The game against the Seahawks is his golden chance to prove his worth as a quarterback. That belief isn’t limited to the coaching staff; Justin Jefferson also praised Brosmer, reinforcing the growing trust in the Davenport native. Jefferson told reporters:

I’ve seen him all of training camp, watching from afar. Of course, I’ve seen him in preseason games. He’s definitely a good quarterback. To be able to fit in with this offense, and create a spark for us, that’s something that we really need right now.

The Minnesota Vikings are mathematically alive in the playoff race, but they are hanging by a thread. With six games left in the tournament, the Vikings have a smaller margin of error. They have lost three games in a row for the first time, when they went 0-3 in 2023. With the slightest hope, Brosmer’s main goal would be to not add more woes to the Vikings’ turnover numbers.

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