Vikings star Justin Jefferson left Sunday’s game against the Chiefs in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. After much confusion about the severity of the injury and how long he’ll be out, we now know — Minnesota plans to place the star WR on injured reserve. NFL Media.
The exact timeframe is TBD based on how long it takes for Jefferson to recover and how he responds to treatment. But he was out for at least four games in a crushing blow to the Vikings.
Jefferson tripped on the US Bank Stadium turf while running a route against Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie late in Kansas City’s Week 5 27-20 win. His return was ruled questionable and he was sidelined after limping off for medical attention. But he didn’t take another snap before the final buzzer, when freshman Jordan Addison served as the target for Kirk Cousins’ top pass.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell visited Jefferson’s locker on his way to the podium after the game, trying to comfort the wideout, who did not speak to reporters. On Monday, O’Connell told reporters that Jefferson would seek multiple medical opinions about his hamstring.
“We need to get an MRI of it and find out what it is, where it is, if there are any other factors and decide what the best decision is to get him back to 100 percent as quickly as possible,” he said. “He’s down today. He’s one of the most intense competitors I’ve ever met, and shoot, he’s trying to get back into the game like he was yesterday. So we have to make a good decision medically. And help him protect himself a little bit.”
