Speaking of Van Jefferson, he has been under Robert Wood’s wing ever since he has been with the Rams. He has been learning and growing under Wood’s guidance. But things got a bit complicated when in mid-November, the Rams announced that Wood would be laid off the roster due to a season-ending ACL injury. His learning curve grew steeper since then.
Van Jefferson missing out on Robert Woods
Jefferson has 39 catches for 621 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games this season. Two of those touchdowns came in the last two weeks, and with Robert Woods out for the season due to a ruptured ACL, Jefferson will have even more chances in the coming weeks.
Although his first game without Woods was much of a disaster, during his Niners matchup receivers, including Jefferson, battled with drops as Stafford threw two interceptions. The Rams were again hampered by early turnovers and a poor start in Week 12, but this time it was OBJ who mentored him out of tough times.
🥺 and 🥺 pic.twitter.com/x6tdB5Dz0q
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) December 7, 2021
“I didn’t play my best ball at all,” Jefferson said. “I was really down after the (San Francisco) game. Odell sent me this long list of people just talking bad about him, and how he can be better, and he said, ‘Look, bro, I’ve been there, I’ve been through it before. Don’t dwell on this.’ So that encouraged me a lot, for him to do that.”
Also Read: Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp Leaves the NFL Twitter Cracking on His Football Fluency
Odell Beckham Jr. on the young receiver
Jefferson has committed errors, but he has also made plays. And he’s figuring out how to appreciate the good while also learning from the bad. Which Odell Beckham Jr. believes is a great start for a good future.
“You always know the young guys who are going to be great, or want to be great,” OBJ said. “From the way that they ask for information and the way that they retain information and ask those questions. And he’s one of those guys. He’s going to be a special player. He is a special player now, but he’s going to continue to develop and get better.”
Love this exchange between Sean McVay and Van Jefferson:
McVay: "Great job, man! Awesome job! Great decision. Love you, buddy."
Jefferson: "Appreciate you believing in me. That gives me confidence."
Player-coach relationships matter so much. This is 💯pic.twitter.com/GxdPEgkgb9
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 8, 2021
OBJ sees a good player in Jefferson, who is trudging through the path while juggling between fatherhood and a professional football career. The struggles that he goes through have made him seek mentorship from one of the greats, OBJ and Robert Woods. Who believes that the 25-year-old has much to offer to the football world in the coming few years.
