Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell says Justin Jefferson is out of hospital and will travel home with team
Jefferson's return from a two-month absence lasted less than two quarters of football
Justin Jefferson made his return to the football field, only to suffer another devastating injury that forced him out of the game.
The Minnesota Vikings waited patiently for two months for their star receiver to return from a hamstring injury. He did against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and was lost again in less than half of the game.
Midway through the second quarter, quarterback Joshua Dobbs found Jefferson over the middle for 15 yards on third down. As Jefferson came down with the grab, Raiders safety Marcus Epps came across the middle with a massive hit that left Jefferson on the turf.
Justin Jefferson's filthy route-running is back...but he took a huge shot and is in the medical tent pic.twitter.com/dJqqHTUMEx
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 10, 2023
The fourth-year receiver eventually made his way to the blue tent and then walked back to the locker room.
Minnesota downgraded him to out with a chest injury and eventually announced that Jefferson was being transported to the hospital. After the game, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that the early results on on the injury were positive.
O'Connell added that Jefferson will undergo additional tests, but Jefferson is out of the hospital and will travel home with the team.
Jefferson came back from the first hamstring injury he suffered in his career, and as such was very cautious about returning until he felt healed. The Vikings activated him off injured reserve on Nov. 28 and opened his 21-day window to return.
Minnesota opted to give him an additional rest by deciding to play him after the team's Week 13 bye. During that time, O'Connell was also determining the best quarterback to move ahead with, and which signal-caller could take advantage of Jefferson's skills was a major factor.
O'Connell decided to keep the ball in Dobbs' hands and reconfigure the offense around the journeyman. Dobbs' high throw left Jefferson, who finished with two catches for 27 yards, vulnerable for the kind of hit he took.
Later in the game, Dobbs was benched in favor of Nick Mullens, who led the Vikings to a 3-0 victory.
Jefferson, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, currently has 571 yards and five touchdowns on 36 catches in five games. He came into 2023 with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and, depending on the severity of his injury, that streak may be in danger.
The Vikings improved to 7-6 and are in the thick of a crowded NFC playoff picture. They were already trying to overcome the loss of quarterback Kirk Cousins before losing their top wideout for a second time.
