With a chest issue, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson insists he’s playing at Cincinnati.
Justin Jefferson followed the Minnesota Vikings’ dramatic comeback field goal to defeat the Raiders 3-0 on his phone while riding in an ambulance and, later, in an emergency room at a Las Vegas hospital.
Jefferson was tackled by former teammate Marcus Epps after making a 15-yard reception over the middle in the middle of the second quarter. Trainers quickly became concerned as he departed the field, holding his right hip and lower back, wondering if something catastrophic might be going on.
With what the organization described as a chest issue, Jefferson had to return to the locker room after making his second reception on his third target of the day. The Vikings sent him in an ambulance to a hospital for more assessment since they didn’t want to take any chances. He suffered another injury shortly after missing over two months due to a hamstring strain.
“When they informed me that I wouldn’t be allowed to resume playing the game, I definitely started to cry a little bit. With the hamstring injury and this as well, this season has been difficult for me,” Jefferson remarked on Wednesday at the TCO Performance Center. “We had to check for internal bleeding because it was internal. Had to search for fractured ribs and a plethora of other problems that we were unable to detect on the field. Similar to an internal bruising, basically.”
Before the first half ended, he headed to the hospital, but he made it back to Allegiant Stadium in time for the team’s flight home. He claimed that a small number of patients and hospital employees were aware of his identity and had witnessed his anguish prior to the Vikings’ victory.
“I was screaming and yelling. Those who were truly harmed by me were probably irritated with me. I’ve never been in an ambulance or emergency room before, and it’s an experience I want to avoid,” Jefferson remarked. “It definitely is a different vibe being in the back of that ambulance.”
Above all, Jefferson says he’s feeling quite well and intends to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. With four games remaining, the Vikings, who are currently 7-6, are fiercely vying for a berth in the NFC Playoffs and, should they prevail, the opportunity to win the NFC North Division for a second consecutive season.
After observing Nick Mullen lead the game’s lone scoring drive against the Raiders, Jefferson will now receive passes from him on Saturday. On Tuesday, Mullens was declared the starter.
“I was watching the game on the way to the hospital, in the hospital, so I pretty much saw all of the plays. Nick definitely was in there feeling confident, he looked confident giving us what we needed. We have that confidence in him,” Jefferson said.
