In the year of the receiver, Jefferson received the biggest bag yet.
The Minnesota Vikings are taking care of their best player by signing Justin Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million contract extension that includes $110 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday, according to sources.
Jefferson, who will turn 25 later this month, took to social media and announced the news himself, putting to rest any Minnesota worries by confirming he finally signed “the deal I have been waiting for since I was a little kid.”
The team soon after confirmed the news.
Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf said in a statement that Jefferson has “earned this contract, and we are thrilled he will remain a Minnesota Viking for a very long time.”
The three-time Pro Bowler’s massive extension not only resets the wide receiver market but makes Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, passing the San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa.
“From the moment I arrived in Minnesota, Justin has consistently proven to be one of the best players in the NFL on and off the field and we are excited about having him as a cornerstone of our team for a long time to come,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “He is the living embodiment of our culture with his joyful dedication to process and our goals. We couldn’t be more excited for Justin and his family.”
Jefferson’s new landmark deal puts a bow on an offseason drama that has dominated the headlines with wide-spread speculation, while several of his contemporaries at the receiver position were handed big contracts up until this point, including those of Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Miami’s Jaylen Waddle, Houston’s Nico Collins, Indianapolis’ Michael Pittman and Calvin Ridley, Tennessee’s free-agent splash.
With a new salary of $35 million per year, Jefferson tops Brown’s market-setting deal signed in April and surpasses San Francisco’s Bosa as the league’s highest-paid non-QB. Now under contract through the 2028 season, Jefferson also receives $89 million fully guaranteed at signing, Pelissero added.
Since coming into the league as a first-round pick in 2020 out of LSU, Jefferson has lived up to the hype as one of the league’s most exciting and dynamic playmakers while putting up historic numbers worthy of such a grand investment.
Jefferson is one of a handful of players ever with 5,000-plus receiving yards in his first four seasons, and his 5,899 career yards are nearly 400 more than any other player in NFL history along that same measure, according to NFL Research. His 98.3 receiving yards per game also stands as the most in NFL history (minimum of 50 games), and he has improved that average on a yearly basis (87.5, 95.1, 106.4, 107.4 in 2023) the past four seasons.
Embed from Getty ImagesJefferson’s best season came in 2022 when he led the league in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809) to earn the AP’s Offensive Player of the Year award along with his first All-Pro nod. Following Jefferson’s extraordinary year, adversity struck for the first time in his NFL career in 2023, due to a hamstring injury, however, he still managed to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in just 10 games played.
“Justin is an exceptionally talented player and an incredible person that I am honored to coach and have as a team captain,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said in a statement. “His positive energy and love for the game shows up every single day as he works to be the best at his craft. As coaches, we will do our part in helping him maximize his ability. I’m grateful to the Wilfs, Kwesi, Rob Brzezinski, and our staff for ensuring one of the brightest stars in professional sports will continue his career as a Minnesota Viking.”
With the pressure of his payday no longer a factor on his plate, Jefferson will enter 2024 with a new signal caller following the offseason departure of Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons, and either six-year veteran Sam Darnold or rookie J.J. McCarthy will be the next to benefit from Jefferson’s exceptional play.
Jefferson’s long-awaited extension comes not a moment too soon and is just in time for the Vikings to get to work as the club begins mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, June 4.
