Justin Jefferson calls ‘crazy’ Madden rating motivation for the season

NFL players will use anything for extra motivation, and in the case of Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver Justin Jefferson, it’s his latest Madden rating.

Jefferson, the former LSU star and one of the best receivers in the NFL last year, didn’t land in the top 10. And he doesn’t like it, mostly because he finished third in receiving yardage as a rookie.

The Vikings, including coach Mike Zimmer, don’t expect a sophomore slump out of Jefferson.

Jefferson last season was selected to the Pro Bowl and second team All-Pro (AP, PFF), he was also tabbed to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, by Pro Football Focus.

Jefferson ranks second in NFL history among rookie WRs and owns the Super Bowl era rookie receiving record with 1,400 yards.

Mike Zimmer on Justin Jefferson: “I don’t think he’s going to have any regression because he’s in a great frame of mind. … He loves playing football.”

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) July 29, 2021

“I don’t even want to talk about that,” Jefferson said in a video with Gabe Henderson of Vikings.com, per Geaux247. “I play Madden. I’m a big gamer. So I’m all into that. And after I seen the ratings and me not being in the top 10 in any of the ratings, that’s just crazy to me. But that’s just motivation.”

Going to use those @EAMaddenNFL ratings as motivation

📺: https://t.co/RNlOAYwSSU pic.twitter.com/e0rsZKUnxY

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 30, 2021

Justin Jefferson… 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/vq7wNa0aGZ

— Vikes (@vikesinsider) July 30, 2021

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.