Wide receiver Justin Jefferson hasn’t held back in taking a dig at quarterback J.J. McCarthy lately. First, he showed his support for Seattle’s Sam Darnold and admitted things would have been better if he were still on the team. Next, he couldn’t help but express shock that he could pull off a 1000-mark season despite QB instability. And now, the Minnesota Vikings veteran is blaming the quarterback play while defending his status as the NFL’s top receiver. 

“I mean, how I’m not?” Jefferson replied when asked if he thinks he’s still the NFL’s best wideout via reporter Avi Meirov’s post on X. “Just based off the quarter. I mean a lot of people base it off of the quarterback play and just different things that really go into my position.

Obviously, I got to rely on, I got to depend on a lot of people in order for me to get that ball. So you know, if I don’t have, you know, an elite, you know, elite position or elite quarterback that’s throwing me the ball the entire year, then it’s a little bit difficult to be in those conversations.”

Justin Jefferson is coming off another season where he came close to his own elite standard. In the 2025 season, he posted 84 receptions on 141 targets and 1,048 yards. And it was not an easy one because JJ McCarthy’s multiple injuries made the position unstable. It prompted QBs Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer to step in his absence. But even when he was on the field for ten games, his performance wasn’t dominant and lacked consistency.

The 23-year-old completed only 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards and eleven scores. Also, the opponents intercepted his pass twelve times and forced 27 sacks. And that’s why Jefferson referenced having a young quarterback who is still learning and finding his footing in the league. He admitted that kind of situation can lead to frustrating seasons.

It is something he felt firsthand in 2025 while other top receivers thrived under proven QBs. For instance, Puka Nacua had an impressive run of 129 catches for 1,715 yards with Matthew Stafford at the helm. Despite the odds, Jefferson trusts in his own ability, citing that there’s still no defensive back in the league who can cover him one-on-one. 

“So you know, my confidence level will always be high and I always will feel that I’m number one in my eyes,” he said with a straight face.

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Meanwhile, Jefferson’s criticism comes after his teammate targeted the quarterback room, regretting the Sam Darnold move.

Justin Jefferson’s teammate bashes the Vikings for releasing Darnold

The Vikings finished third in the NFC North with a 9-8 record. There were many issues, including a high number of turnovers and injuries to key players. Still, the major one remained a revolving door at quarterback. While reflecting on the campaign, Minnesota running back Aaron Jones pointed towards the 2024 season.

That year, his team lost just four matches, two each against the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions. And the success was driven by signal-caller Sam Darnold, who carried the offense on his shoulders. Filling in for injured McCarthy, the player ended up delivering the best season of his career. 

He ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35), earning his first Pro Bowl selection. But much to everyone’s surprise, the Vikings didn’t re-sign him after such an explosive year. Naturally, the move didn’t sit well with the locker room and fans alike.

“When you got a group of guys behind a quarterback and he wants to stay somewhere, I think you should try to make it work,” Jones said.

After the Vikings let him go, the Seattle Seahawks locked Darnold in for a three-year, $100.5 million deal. And now, he’s leading them to Super Bowl LX in the very first season. Much like Jones, Jefferson also feels that the Vikings did him dirty last year.

“I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first, people doubting him and people not giving him the respect,” Jefferson said. “Now they’re giving him that respect. Now they’re seeing that he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league.”

These comments paint a clear picture that the locker room is still questioning Minnesota’s quarterback decisions after all this time. With Darnold gearing up for his first Super Bowl appearance, his ex-team reels in regret.