Justin Jefferson’s day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended early, and the Vikings now have to keep moving without their top receiver.
Minnesota downgraded Jefferson to out because of an ankle injury after he was checked in the medical tent during the first quarter, following the Vikings’ opening drive. When he came out of the blue tent, both ankles were taped. He had already caught two passes for 32 yards before the injury slowed him down, and by midway through the second quarter he was seen heading to the Vikings’ locker room.
With Jefferson unavailable, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson are the players expected to absorb more of the load in the passing game.
Jefferson had been on the field for every game since 2023, when a hamstring injury in Week 5 kept him out. This season, he entered the game with 11 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He led Minnesota last week against the Chicago Bears with three receptions for 55 yards in a tight divisional game, and he also paced the offense in the opener against the Green Bay Packers with eight catches for 92 yards and two scores.
Since arriving in Minnesota as the No. 22 overall pick in 2020, Jefferson has been the team’s most productive receiver year after year. The four-time Pro Bowler has posted 1,048 receiving yards in 2025, 1,533 in 2024, 1,074 in 2023, 1,809 in 2022, 1,616 in 2021 and 1,400 in 2020.
There was some good news for the offense elsewhere, with quarterback Kyler Murray returning after clearing concussion protocol. Still, Jefferson’s absence is a major blow to a passing game that has already struggled. The Vikings entered the game ranked last in passing yards with 259 and fourth-worst in completion percentage at 52.5.
Minnesota came into the matchup 2-0 after wins over the Packers and Bears, and the next stop on the schedule is a trip to face the Miami Dolphins, who are 0-3.
In Other News...
Bucs Loss Exposed A Bigger Problem Than Fans Wanted To See
The Buccaneers 23-16 loss to the Vikings in Week 3 was more than just a one-score setback. Tampa Bay kept bumping into the same problems on both sides of the ball, with the offense never finding much rhythm under coordinator Zac Robinson and the defense undone at key moments, including an 86-yard punt return touchdown that tilted the game in Minnesotas favor.
Baker Mayfield finished with a 50% completion rate, one touchdown and one interception, then added a right hand injury late in the game to an already frustrating night. There were also rough stretches for players such as cornerback Jacob Parrish and right tackle Luke Goedeke, leaving the Bucs with an uncomfortable reminder that the issues exposed Sunday go well beyond a single bad sequence or a single phase of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Injury Just Raised The Stakes For A Reeling Bucs Team
Tampa Bays rough Week 3 got even messier late in the loss to Minnesota, when Baker Mayfield dislocated his thumb near the end of the game. The Buccaneers were already dealing with the sting of another defeat, and the injury to their starting quarterback quickly became the biggest concern coming out of the night.
Todd Bowles said Mayfield will undergo an MRI to get a better read on the injury, leaving the team waiting on a clearer update. Mayfield was replaced by rookie Jalon Daniels after leaving the game, and for a Bucs team trying to steady itself, the timing of the setback only adds to the pressure heading into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Loss Exposed Problems Fans Wont Stop Arguing About
The Buccaneers latest loss did more than dent the standings - it reopened the same arguments that have followed this team for weeks. Between the defenses uneven stretches, the offenses uneven rhythm and a special teams sequence that left plenty of second-guessing behind, the game against Minnesota became the kind of all-around mess that forces a closer look at how Tampa Bay is being coached and why so many drives still seem to stall at the wrong time.
Todd Bowles now has a familiar debate on his hands, because the scrutiny is not just about one bad afternoon but about how the Bucs handled key moments through the first three quarters. Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving and a few others had their moments, but the bigger issue is whether the teams decisions and execution can keep matching up against good opponents when the game starts tightening. [Read more 🡒]