Minnesota Vikings superstar is playing it cautiously heading into 2024 season
Injuries can mess with you as a player. When one happens, it can end up getting in your head and changing your approach. It's not always the case but a tough recovery can change perspective. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered his first major injury in the National Football League last season when he […]
Injuries can mess with you as a player. When one happens, it can end up getting in your head and changing your approach. It's not always the case but a tough recovery can change perspective.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered his first major injury in the National Football League last season when he suffered a hamstring injury against the Kansas City Chiefs. That injury caused him to miss seven games and a hit against the Las Vegas Raiders knocked him out of that game.
However, it's the injury to his hamstring that has Jefferson taking a different approach this year and he told ESPN's Kevin Seifert as such.
"I'm so scared for it to happen again that I've been overly cautious about it. Just trying to take care of my body in the right way, just trying to find new things that I can implement in my day-to-day life that can better help me throughout the season. I've definitely been working on my hamstrings a little bit more, making sure that I'm injury-proof."
Taking a new approach isn't a bad idea for Jefferson, especially since there are always things to learn about how to best take care of your body. Head coach Kevin O'Connell alluded to that as well.
"It's more a matter of the dialogue that he has with [vice president of player health and performance Tyler Williams] and myself and making sure that our plan for him as we progress forward through the month of August has him, in his prime, optimal, physical football shape and ready to roll while also still tactically getting him prepared."
The Vikings are lucky to have a great support staff to help Jefferson work through his fear of re-injury, which is real.
"I'll get to the point where I feel like I'm not going to think of it again," he said, "just because I feel like I'm going to push it to where it's way strong enough for it not to happen again. It's all about having the confidence in it and I can go out there and play freely."
Jefferson had a rest day on Wednesday and taking steps like that will help get him on the right track.
