June 5, 2024 • 7 mins
Vikings star WR Justin Jefferson chats with PA about his new contract, his career, & much more!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello, justin. How you doingman, Good to see you and congratulations
on that deal man. So hey, uh you really at one point were
slow, non explosive and skinny,Yes, I was. I mean those
those high school days, middle schooldays. Uh, just me trying to
get to this point that I amnow, you know, and never was
always you know, an eye opener, you know what I'm saying. It
(00:23):
never was always a specific thing thatI knew that I was going to get
to this level. So just thehard work that I put in, the
dedication, and of course the peoplethat surrounded me definitely helped me throughout the
way. When so obviously to goto l s U. You know,
you weren't slow, and you weren'tnecessarily skinny, and you were explosive when
you got there with Jamar and maybeeven Terris, like like, how did
(00:46):
that elevate your game? All?Right? Elevating my game tremendously. Just
having having you know, two peoplethat are great out their craft as well
to come in and give me alittle bit of challenge, it definitely was
great for me. We always hadthat competitive spirit every single time we're on
practice or in the game, we'retrying to outdo one another, are trying
(01:06):
to compete against one another even thoughwe're on the same team. So just
having that competitive spirit the whole timethat I'm at LSU trying to get better
at my craft, it helped outa lot well. And I shouldn't have
to say this, but you know, athletes don't necessarily treat tricky situations the
way you did so well done withlike not unfollowing teams, not with this
(01:30):
scryptic crap and like saying things likeany day now or something like that.
That's naturally like who you are?Right to be humble that way, Oh
for sure. I mean I grewup that way, you know, grow
with parents that taught me to behumble and be grateful for what I have.
Like I said in the press conference, I knew the deal was gonna
come. It was just a matterof time. So it's just all about
(01:51):
being patient, you know, justbeing behind closed doors, getting in that
work. You don't have to sayeverything online to social media and for everybody
to know. It's just more aboutthe people that's in the building and that's
in the talk. So as longas that as long as I'm sharing sharing
what my thoughts to the people thatare engaged in the contract and everything.
(02:12):
Uh, is it's not reasonable forme to be posting on social media and
pretty much letting everybody know what's goingon. JJ Justin Jefferson's our guest to
kick off nine to noon. Maybefor my personal knowledge, but I think,
you know, some others would liketo know too. Along the way
along your journey, who or wheredid the doubters come from? Where didn't
(02:34):
they come from? Is the question. I mean, ever since I was
in high school, I never wasthe highest recruited. Even going into college,
still not you know, the firstone to be looked at, even
my junior year not being a finalistfor Blint Lakoff and uh, you know,
just different awards that I was shorton, but even to being drafted
(02:55):
as the fifth fifth receiver. Youknow, my whole career is just always
been doubted and overlooked. So,you know, just with this contract and
just we're going forward, definitely lookingto uplift this team, trying to get
to you know, where we wantto go in of course, we want
to hold up that trophy and justinmoving forward, undoubtedly whether it's mini camp
(03:16):
today or mini camp tomorrow or trainingcamp, you'll do marketly more and you
know you'll be with Sam and eventuallymaybe JJ, who knows. But like
with Darnold, you know, Ijust don't think offensive players are spending a
lot of time watching all twenty twoof other offensive players who are backups.
So so now that you've seen himthrow the ball, what do you think
(03:37):
I like it? I mean he'sbeen impressing me for sure, and I'm
excited to see what we have forthe rest of the camp, the mandatory
camp and then into training camp.But just like I told coaching everybody else,
I'm gonna be hard on everyone.I'm trying to get the best out
of everyone, and in order forthat, you got to have your best
player, you know, talking andbeing that leader. So I'm always going
(03:59):
to be here to help, youknow, even JJ on whatever he needs.
Of course, I had Adam toyou know, be under my wing
and to really cater to me.So I'm going to be that same type
of person to JJ, and I'mjust trying to help as much as possible.
When you get a contract like youjust got and we're getting closer to
the season, do you anticipate thatyou'll put any added pressure on yourself because
(04:21):
of that, because personally speaking,I think it would be foolish to do
it because you earned it, andthe next one you get might be double
that because you'll learn that. Butif you thought about that, or if
your parents talk to you about that, you don't need to put extra pressure
on yourself. Oh nah, Imean I kind of feel like they already
know the type of pressure I puton myself. Not really as a pressure,
(04:42):
but I have an expectation, youknow, just goals that I want
to achieve for myself and just theexpectations for this team, you know,
the leader that I am, I'mtrying to lead this team to where we
didn't imagine to go. So it'sgoing to be a start of it,
but it's definitely some more work toput in. Kevin O'Connell as the head
(05:03):
coach and this approach to offense,I mean, he throw it eighty percent
of the time if they let him, you know, and that obviously benefits
you. But what what do youlike about Kevin and now that everything's done,
what excites you about playing in thisoffense? Oh? I love Kevin.
Just his ability to really connect withhis players. I mean, even
(05:24):
during this whole process, him reachingout to me, making sure that I'm
okay, just trying to talk tome and just making sure that he's you
know, he's on my side andthat he's he's trying to, you know,
get me that deal. So he'sa great coach. He's definitely one
of my favorite ones that I've everhad. But I've been telling him ever
(05:45):
since this contract has been agreed on, you know, we still have work
to do. This is still nota comfort zone for me. This is
still more things that I want toovercome and do for myself. So in
order to do that, I needto help this team out and get to
where we need to go. Igot to ask you this, like I've
called a bunch of Aaron Jones games, okay, and he's he's in full
(06:08):
armor, all right. So andyou've seen him on TV or played against
him watching OTAs or watching mini campwithout shoulder pads and everything. Holy cal,
I had no idea how fast hewas, did you. I mean,
I've been seeing it on the sideline, so I definitely can see I
mean, his explosion, his abilityto move freely behind the backfield and find
(06:30):
that hole and hit it. SoI've been talking to him ever since I
got here. I'm excited. I'mexcited to have him on the squad.
He's going to be a tremendous bigpiece for us to open up our past
game. So being able to runthe ball with him and being able to
open it up with the pass gameis going to be smooth. You're fantastic.
Congratulations and double see you soon,thank man. My question is what
(06:51):
you're gonna do about the JJ situation, because you can't call both of us
Jason well, when he plays,okay, when he plays. I don't
know what my life's gonna look likeFriday, so I don't exactly know when
this is gonna be. But howabout JJ to JJ for the payday?
Okay? I I don't like,No, you don't like I like that
(07:12):
one. I like that one.I like that one. You looked at
me like I was one of thosefour quarterbacks last year. I mean that
was a weird look you gave me. No I had I had to process
it. You know what I'm saying, Well, hey, you you can
make the call. I mean,like you can come up with the idea.
We got plenty of time. Imean, we got plenty of time.
But think of it, and I'lldo it. Okay, I'm gonna
think of it. I wanna thinkof it. Well, that little jj
(07:33):
jj for the payday is going tocost you a thousand. You want to
you want to pay nour some othertime, some other time. I appreciate
you, Thank you, man.I appreciate
Hello, justin. How you doingman, Good to see you and congratulations
on that deal man. So hey, uh you really at one point were
slow, non explosive and skinny,Yes, I was. I mean those
those high school days, middle schooldays. Uh, just me trying to
get to this point that I amnow, you know, and never was
always you know, an eye opener, you know what I'm saying. It
(00:23):
never was always a specific thing thatI knew that I was going to get
to this level. So just thehard work that I put in, the
dedication, and of course the peoplethat surrounded me definitely helped me throughout the
way. When so obviously to goto l s U. You know,
you weren't slow, and you weren'tnecessarily skinny, and you were explosive when
you got there with Jamar and maybeeven Terris, like like, how did
(00:46):
that elevate your game? All?Right? Elevating my game tremendously. Just
having having you know, two peoplethat are great out their craft as well
to come in and give me alittle bit of challenge, it definitely was
great for me. We always hadthat competitive spirit every single time we're on
practice or in the game, we'retrying to outdo one another, are trying
(01:06):
to compete against one another even thoughwe're on the same team. So just
having that competitive spirit the whole timethat I'm at LSU trying to get better
at my craft, it helped outa lot well. And I shouldn't have
to say this, but you know, athletes don't necessarily treat tricky situations the
way you did so well done withlike not unfollowing teams, not with this
(01:30):
scryptic crap and like saying things likeany day now or something like that.
That's naturally like who you are?Right to be humble that way, Oh
for sure. I mean I grewup that way, you know, grow
with parents that taught me to behumble and be grateful for what I have.
Like I said in the press conference, I knew the deal was gonna
come. It was just a matterof time. So it's just all about
(01:51):
being patient, you know, justbeing behind closed doors, getting in that
work. You don't have to sayeverything online to social media and for everybody
to know. It's just more aboutthe people that's in the building and that's
in the talk. So as longas that as long as I'm sharing sharing
what my thoughts to the people thatare engaged in the contract and everything.
(02:12):
Uh, is it's not reasonable forme to be posting on social media and
pretty much letting everybody know what's goingon. JJ Justin Jefferson's our guest to
kick off nine to noon. Maybefor my personal knowledge, but I think,
you know, some others would liketo know too. Along the way
along your journey, who or wheredid the doubters come from? Where didn't
(02:34):
they come from? Is the question. I mean, ever since I was
in high school, I never wasthe highest recruited. Even going into college,
still not you know, the firstone to be looked at, even
my junior year not being a finalistfor Blint Lakoff and uh, you know,
just different awards that I was shorton, but even to being drafted
(02:55):
as the fifth fifth receiver. Youknow, my whole career is just always
been doubted and overlooked. So,you know, just with this contract and
just we're going forward, definitely lookingto uplift this team, trying to get
to you know, where we wantto go in of course, we want
to hold up that trophy and justinmoving forward, undoubtedly whether it's mini camp
(03:16):
today or mini camp tomorrow or trainingcamp, you'll do marketly more and you
know you'll be with Sam and eventuallymaybe JJ, who knows. But like
with Darnold, you know, Ijust don't think offensive players are spending a
lot of time watching all twenty twoof other offensive players who are backups.
So so now that you've seen himthrow the ball, what do you think
(03:37):
I like it? I mean he'sbeen impressing me for sure, and I'm
excited to see what we have forthe rest of the camp, the mandatory
camp and then into training camp.But just like I told coaching everybody else,
I'm gonna be hard on everyone.I'm trying to get the best out
of everyone, and in order forthat, you got to have your best
player, you know, talking andbeing that leader. So I'm always going
(03:59):
to be here to help, youknow, even JJ on whatever he needs.
Of course, I had Adam toyou know, be under my wing
and to really cater to me.So I'm going to be that same type
of person to JJ, and I'mjust trying to help as much as possible.
When you get a contract like youjust got and we're getting closer to
the season, do you anticipate thatyou'll put any added pressure on yourself because
(04:21):
of that, because personally speaking,I think it would be foolish to do
it because you earned it, andthe next one you get might be double
that because you'll learn that. Butif you thought about that, or if
your parents talk to you about that, you don't need to put extra pressure
on yourself. Oh nah, Imean I kind of feel like they already
know the type of pressure I puton myself. Not really as a pressure,
(04:42):
but I have an expectation, youknow, just goals that I want
to achieve for myself and just theexpectations for this team, you know,
the leader that I am, I'mtrying to lead this team to where we
didn't imagine to go. So it'sgoing to be a start of it,
but it's definitely some more work toput in. Kevin O'Connell as the head
(05:03):
coach and this approach to offense,I mean, he throw it eighty percent
of the time if they let him, you know, and that obviously benefits
you. But what what do youlike about Kevin and now that everything's done,
what excites you about playing in thisoffense? Oh? I love Kevin.
Just his ability to really connect withhis players. I mean, even
(05:24):
during this whole process, him reachingout to me, making sure that I'm
okay, just trying to talk tome and just making sure that he's you
know, he's on my side andthat he's he's trying to, you know,
get me that deal. So he'sa great coach. He's definitely one
of my favorite ones that I've everhad. But I've been telling him ever
(05:45):
since this contract has been agreed on, you know, we still have work
to do. This is still nota comfort zone for me. This is
still more things that I want toovercome and do for myself. So in
order to do that, I needto help this team out and get to
where we need to go. Igot to ask you this, like I've
called a bunch of Aaron Jones games, okay, and he's he's in full
(06:08):
armor, all right. So andyou've seen him on TV or played against
him watching OTAs or watching mini campwithout shoulder pads and everything. Holy cal,
I had no idea how fast hewas, did you. I mean,
I've been seeing it on the sideline, so I definitely can see I
mean, his explosion, his abilityto move freely behind the backfield and find
(06:30):
that hole and hit it. SoI've been talking to him ever since I
got here. I'm excited. I'mexcited to have him on the squad.
He's going to be a tremendous bigpiece for us to open up our past
game. So being able to runthe ball with him and being able to
open it up with the pass gameis going to be smooth. You're fantastic.
Congratulations and double see you soon,thank man. My question is what
(06:51):
you're gonna do about the JJ situation, because you can't call both of us
Jason well, when he plays,okay, when he plays. I don't
know what my life's gonna look likeFriday, so I don't exactly know when
this is gonna be. But howabout JJ to JJ for the payday?
Okay? I I don't like,No, you don't like I like that
(07:12):
one. I like that one.I like that one. You looked at
me like I was one of thosefour quarterbacks last year. I mean that
was a weird look you gave me. No I had I had to process
it. You know what I'm saying, Well, hey, you you can
make the call. I mean,like you can come up with the idea.
We got plenty of time. Imean, we got plenty of time.
But think of it, and I'lldo it. Okay, I'm gonna
think of it. I wanna thinkof it. Well, that little jj
(07:33):
jj for the payday is going tocost you a thousand. You want to
you want to pay nour some othertime, some other time. I appreciate
you, Thank you, man.I appreciate
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