Vikings' Justin Jefferson Says Playing Eagles Will 'Always Be Edgier' Because They Passed On Him In Last Year's Draft
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was one of the breakout stars of the 2020 season much to the chagrin of Eagles fans everywhere. The LSU product had been linked to the Eagles in many mock drafts leading up to last year's first round and he was still on the board when the team got on the clock at No. 21. The Eagles took TCU's Jalen Reagor instead, leaving Jefferson to head to Minnesota.
In an interview with Tyler Ricky Tynes of GQ Magazine, the receiver said any future matchups with the Eagles will have a little extra motivation for him.
"I'll always treat every game the same, no matter who I'm playing. But Philly will definitely be edgier. You know, especially because they passed on me," said Jefferson.
Jefferson was named Sporting News and Pro Football Focus' rookie of the year after piling up 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns for Minnesota in 2020. He told Tynes that while he was expecting to go to Philly, he's happy that he ended up in Minnesota instead.
"Leading up to the draft, you know, they had all of those mock drafts and people sharing their opinions on who is going to go where. A lot of people had me going to Philly. And, I thought I was going to Philly. Honestly. The funny part is, Philly was on the board and then Minnesota called me. At first, I thought it was Philly," said Jefferson. "But, I answered the phone and it was Minnesota. It's crazy how all of that happened and everything. But, I'm definitely, definitely, definitely excited that I'm on the Vikings rather than Philly."
Eagles fans are left wondering "what if" the team had selected Jefferson in that spot. To be fair to Reagor, he did deal with an injury that kept him out of five games last season after opening up with a solid first two weeks. By the time he came back, the offense was disjointed and struggling from both a play-calling and quarterback stand point.
The hope for Eagles fans is that Reagor will have more opportunity in Year 2 with a new offense and a fully healthy season. But, it seems clear that the next time they face the Vikings, they'll need to keep an eye out for Jefferson.