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Wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings (left) and wideout Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals (right).
The Minnesota Vikings rolled over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 21, in a matchup of two former LSU teammates and greats — wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
The two are arguably the best wideouts in the NFL and are paid as such, with Jefferson earning $35 million annually ($140 million over four years) and Chase signing a record WR contract last offseason for $40.25 million annually ($161 million over four seasons).
Jefferson is a four-time All-Pro who has led the league in catches and receiving yards, while Chase is a two-time All-Pro who topped the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last year.
The two had some largely playful words for one another leading into Week 3, but it was Jefferson who got the last laugh, as the Vikings won by a score of 48-10 in Minneapolis. The two men met at the 50-yard line following the contest and shared an embrace that sparked some speculation.
“WHOLESOME: #Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and #Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase shared a special moment together on the field after the game,” MLFootball captioned a video of the interaction on X. “#LSU icons. Reunited.”
It was clear by the physical contact and the smiling that there was no animosity between them. However, the words they shared at the beginning of the interaction were unclear, as Jefferson covered his mouth with the towel draped around his neck while speaking. Chase, in turn, grabbed the other end of the same towel to cover his face while responding.
It was clear Jefferson said the following near the end of the brief conversation: “We’ll talk later. Love, game. Always.”
Vikings Slowed Down Ja’Marr Chase Without Joe Burrow
GettyWide receiver Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Perhaps there was some more ribbing going on, this time maybe from Jefferson to his former teammate, as the Vikings star appeared to talk first.
Both men played alongside quarterback Joe Burrow at LSU, who is now the starter for the Bengals and Chase’s teammate. The two won a national title together, along with Jefferson, as members of the Tigers then got all the way to the Super Bowl following the 2021 campaign, which they lost narrowly to the Los Angeles Rams.
Burrow was hurt in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, suffering a turf toe injury that requires surgery and will sideline him for three months. Chase sorely missed Burrow Sunday, as he caught just five passes for 50 yards, both of which statistics led the Bengals offense in those categories.
Backup QB Jake Browning, who spent the first two years of his career as a member of the Vikings’ practice squad, went 19-of-27 for 140 yards, one TD and two INTs.
Justin Jefferson Found Stride With Carson Wentz in 1st Game Together
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
Jefferson was also without his starting quarterback, as J.J. McCarthy missed the contest with a high ankle sprain that could sideline him for more games in the future.
That isn’t the same kind of loss that Chase suffered, however, as McCarthy has started just two games and played poorly in all but one quarter of those contests.
Carson Wentz filled in, throwing for 173 yards and two scores on the afternoon. Jefferson finished the day with five receptions and 75 yards receiving on seven targets.
Jordan Addison will return to the receiving corps in Week 4 after finishing his three-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Minnesota travels to Dublin, Ireland next week for a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers before swinging down to London, England in Week 5 for a showdown with the Cleveland Browns.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group's family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
