Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson didn’t have a satisfactory performance in the 2025 season. According to him, J.J. McCarthy wasn’t giving him enough targets, and that frustrated him. But then came Vikings eight-time Pro Bowler Cris Carter. And he had some strict mentorship advice for the wideout.
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“It was really cool. I spent some time with him [Justin Jefferson] and [Marvin] Harrison,” Carter said on Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams. “Both of those guys are the last guys out of the locker room. But it’s great to have him back on that defense with Brian Flores. He’s already made a huge difference. And trust me, you know that that offseason’s overrated.
“When you get to a certain point in your career, it’s like, ‘Okay guys, I’ll meet you guys about at the end of training camp and then we’ll suit up for the regular season games.’ But Justin is very, very happy. His overall leadership, we’re working on some things. They’re not normal receiver stuff because if you look at the quarterback controversy, he hasn’t said one word. I threatened his life and told him keep his mouth shut.”
Carter’s phrasing was emphatic mentorship language, not a literal threat. He didn’t want Jefferson to be like himself. Well, during his prime, the former wide receiver was pretty vocal. Even former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham previously claimed that Carter often had to “say something about everything.” Be it the lineman, the defense, or even the quarterback, no one was safe from Carter’s criticism.
But Carter backed his claims through his performance. Through 16 years in the NFL, he caught 1,101 passes for 13,899 yards and scored 130 touchdowns.
“You got a great image here. The organization loves you,” Carter continued. “Don’t complain about the quarterback. Don’t mention the quarterback unless you can say good things about him, and it’s only gonna help you.”
Being seven years into the NFL, the Vikings’ star has got four Pro Bowl nods already. He has recorded 598 receptions for 8,738 yards and 45 touchdowns. Last season, he recorded 1,048 receiving yards. That’s his lowest since he joined the league in 2020. And that came with a drop in targets. He was targeted 154 times in 2024, but the number dropped to 141 in the last season. In turn, his reception rate dropped from 66.9% to 59.6%. No wonder he was frustrated with McCarthy.
Now, the Vikings got their veteran quarterback, Kyler Murray. He’s returned from a persistent mid-foot sprain and bone issue that sidelined him for 12 games last year.
Murray and Jefferson didn’t disappoint as the Vikings secured their fifth win of the season against the New Orleans Saints. Jefferson was the primary target for Murray. He caught six passes for 79 yards and scored a touchdown via triple coverage. Of course, that became the headline for the game on Sunday.
“Definitely wasn’t the most open, but it was a great throw,” Jefferson told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert as he praised Murray. “I mean, there was nothing else that I could do besides just put my hands up and make the grab. That throw was tremendous.”
But that’s not all that Jefferson and Carter talked about. Carter further revealed that they talked about joining another wide receiver in the Raptors, where no one but Jefferson can wear the No. 18 jersey. Carter confessed that the talks included things beyond the gridiron as well.
Carter’s mentorship certainly helped Jefferson avoid falling into the disgruntled wide receiver trap. By staying quiet during last year’s frustrating quarterback struggles, Jefferson protected his reputation. And now, he’s reaping the rewards with Murray by his side.