Only 1696 players make the final rosters in the NFL. 32 of them are labeled the face of the franchise. That comes out to roughly 1.88%. To be a part of this, less than 2% of players takes more than just playing well on the field. It takes leadership, work ethic and service to the community around you. There needs to be something else that separates you besides being able to dominate on the football field.
The Minnesota Vikings have a player that epitomizes all these characteristics. His name is Justin Jefferson. In his career, Jefferson has exuded three traits that have solidified his role as the face of the Vikings.
Play on the field
Let’s start with the most obvious reason Justin Jefferson is the face of Minnesota. Justin Jefferson is the first player in NFL history to have three straight years of 1400+ receiving yards to start their career. Even Randy Moss had to wait until year two to finish the job in 1999 and 2000.
No receiver in history has come out of the gate hotter production-wise. So much so that there is already talk of Jefferson potentially becoming an all-time great before his second contract. He set the Vikings’ single-season record in receiving yards and receptions last season. With that production, he won Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the fourth wide receiver in history to win the award. Every metric that measures receiver play has Justin Jefferson at or near the top.
leaders in receiving yards over expected (adjusting for personnel and game situation) in 2022:
1. justin jefferson, 664
2. jaylen waddle, 615
3. tyreek hill, 599
4. aj brown, 571
5. terry mclaurin, 448
6. stefon diggs, 445
7. ceedee lamb, 407
8. davante adams, 391— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) July 7, 2023
Jefferson’s play transcends the wide receiver position. The skill that he plays with mixed with his physical prowess embodies the modern-day receiver. Jefferson has an argument to be the face of the modern-day wide receiver.
Community leader
Jefferson has also gone above and beyond for the Minnesota community through his philanthropic efforts. He gave out turkeys on Thanksgiving in 2021 through his charitable JJets Foundation. Jefferson commented on the recent pandemic and how he wanted to make an impact on the Minnesota community.
“(It’s been) a very tough time (with the pandemic)…I just wanted to share some joy to Thanksgiving. It’s all about being around your family, giving thanks, so I just wanted to put some smiles on people’s faces for the holiday.”
You can also find Jefferson giving out laptops to organizations looking to help students that may not be able to afford them. Or you can find Jefferson speaking out on injustice through the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign.
Being a face of a franchise means going above just what you do on the field. It’s about being a man of the community—a man of the people. Justin Jefferson is doing that and more.
Being an ambassador to the league
There is an awesome clip of Jefferson and an NFL fan in Brazil that epitomizes Jefferson’s impact on fans of the league.
This fan in Brazil nailed @JJettas2 & @Real10jayy__'s handshake. 🤝🔥 @NFLBrasil
(via @joaocarbone4) pic.twitter.com/BEsvomQDmi
— NFL (@NFL) July 10, 2023
The fan studied the handshake between Jefferson and his former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase and nailed it when the time came. Between this and the nationwide sensation that is Jefferson’s dance the Griddy, he has quickly become one of the more recognizable faces in the NFL.
And he continues to market himself accordingly. Showing up as a special guest on YouTube videos or showing kids in an Under Armour camp how to properly release off the line are just a few examples. Jefferson has continued to showcase how he is a face for not only the Vikings but the league as a whole.
Justin Jefferson demonstrating a jab step progression
— PreSnap (@presnapinc) July 7, 2023
