Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings emerges from the tunnel before facing the Los Angeles Rams.
It’s been a tough start for the Minnesota Vikings offense with J.J. McCarthy under center, and Justin Jefferson is going to serve as the barometer for how things are feeling in Minnesota.
Through two games, Jefferson has seven catches on 13 targets for 125 yards, the slowest start to a season since his rookie year — when he did not start until Week 3.
During an ugly 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, Cris Collinsworth planted the idea that star receivers are subjected to.
“You just have to wonder what he’s thinking. We know he’s a team player… You just have to wonder if he’s getting a little frustrated right now,” Collinsworth said during the broadcast.
After the game, Jefferson addressed the feelings in the locker room and offered a message of patience for not only McCarthy but the entire team.
“That’s the second game. We’re not expecting J.J. to be perfect. We’re not expecting anyone to be perfect,” Jefferson said after catching three passes for 81 yards. “But we all expect everyone to do their jobs when it’s time to. Even myself. We just got to go back to work tomorrow and understand it’s a short turnaround and get back to our football. Not playing other people’s football.”
Justin Jefferson Says Defenses Aren’t Playing Him Different Through McCarthy’s First Two Starts
There isn’t one culprit to Jefferson’s sluggish start to the 2025 season, but Jefferson admitted that it isn’t opposing defenses just playing him any differently.
“Same stuff, we just need to figure out ways of moving the ball down the field and converting those third downs,” Jefferson said. “It all leads back to executing and all 11 doing their jobs at the same time.”
To McCarthy’s credit, he hasn’t inherited the best situation up front. Backup left tackle Justin Skule has been leaky in pass protection on McCarthy’s blindside. While Christian Darrisaw is nearing his return from a knee injury last season, Sunday night was evidence that it can’t come sooner for the Vikings.
To make matters worse, Skule was ruled out with concussion symptoms in the final quarter, making way for third-string tackle Walter Rouse to play his first NFL snaps.
Starting center Ryan Kelly was also ruled out with concussion symptoms in the first half, putting the onus of calling out the correct protections more on McCarthy with backup center Michael Jurgens stepping in for his first career snaps as well.
Those losses on the offensive front haven’t allowed for Jefferson and other receivers’ routes to develop, as McCarthy was pressured on 53.3% of his dropbacks, the highest rate by the Falcons since the 2018 season.
The Falcons defense pressured J.J. McCarthy 16 times, including 6 sacks. They generated pressure on 53.3% of dropbacks, the highest rate by Atlanta in a game since Week 15 of 2018.
Six different pass rushers recorded at least 3 pressures.
Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/p8yCxgecjq
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 15, 2025
Justin Jefferson’s Emotions Will Be a Magnet for McCarthy Doubters
It happened when Kirk Cousins‘ reputation was far from sterling in Minnesota, and it will surely happen with McCarthy as well.
Any sense of frustration from Jefferson, whether expressed verbally or in Jefferson’s body language, is going to be a sign of a divide in the Vikings organization that has pushed its chips in on McCarthy.
Jefferson has been riding the quarterback carousel for most of his career and acknowledges the process ahead for McCarthy.
But if there are not significant strides made by the end of the season, the Vikings’ clock is ticking to become a contender with Jefferson under contract through the 2028 season.
It’s way too early to be sowing seeds of doubt in McCarthy, but that is the pressure that all starting quarterbacks must manage — and unfortunately, Jefferson’s image is going to be a catalyst for those narratives.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire
