Justin Jefferson, the Minnesota Vikings‘ human highlight reel, isn’t known for sugarcoating things. After a season-ending loss to the Detroit Lions, his frustration boiled over like a tipped interception in the red zone.

“It’s tough, man, this sport,” Jefferson sighed. The frustration cut deep for the 25-year-old! Despite a solid career-high 190 yards and 12 catches, the sting of defeat lingered. “You see these different QBs coming in; you don’t know who’s going to be the star that week,” Jefferson lamented, hinting at the QB situation that plagued the Vikings all season. 

This inconsistency under center was what truly irked the star wideout. “It’s a tough transition,” Jefferson admitted, “just trying to be on the same page” with a constantly changing cast of signal callers. “Individually, you do good, but it all comes down bad.” Imagine racking up eye-popping numbers and still feeling like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. That’s literally what the WR faced last year. “It’s like, well, what more can I do for us to win? It’s frustrating,” he pondered, a question that hung heavy in the air.

While Jefferson didn’t name QB Kirk Cousins directly, he did miss him in the way he pointed out how the QB changes affected their gameplay. But he’s not mad at Cousins leaving.

Star wideout Jefferson speaks on life after Kirk Cousins

Minnesota’s receiving machine, Justin Jefferson, is facing a new reality: life without Kirk Cousins as signal caller. Sure, Jefferson might’ve preferred slinging passes with his old buddy, but he’s not one to hold grudges.

“I’m not mad at him at all,” Jefferson said on The Rich Eisen Show, addressing Cousins’ departure to the Atlanta Falcons. “It’s a business,” he continued, acknowledging the veteran QB’s pursuit of a fresh start and a hefty payday (a four-year, $180M deal, to be exact).

Vikings’ WR holds fond memories with Cousins (remember their league-torching in 2022?). During their tenure, the QB-WR duo formed a dominant partnership on-field. Jefferson pulled in 5,899 yards, 30 TDs, and 392 receptions on 576 targets; their collab was indeed superb! With Cousins’ departure to the Falcons, Jefferson’s in a bit of a QB mess. 

Who do you think is next in line to team up with the Vikings’ WR on-field? With Sam Darnold currently slated as the starter and rookie J.J. McCarthy (who’s got praises from Jefferson), the Vikings do have some pretty good options. 

But can Jefferson slay on the gridiron without his old QB buddy? Guess we’ll have to wait for the 2024 season to unfold.