‘I Threatened His Life’ — Vikings Legend Cris Carter Reveals Blunt Advice He Gave to Justin Jefferson About Minnesota’s ‘QB Controversy’
· Yahoo Sports
The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation has been a mess over the past two years. After Sam Darnold left in free agency following the 2024 season, J.J. McCarthy was expected to take over and build on the team’s 14-3 campaign.
Things haven’t gone as planned, though, and the Vikings have turned to four different quarterbacks since then.
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The constant changes under center could have frustrated Justin Jefferson, one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers. He could have made his feelings known to the media, but he has largely stayed out of the public debate. Former Vikings great Cris Carter may deserve some credit for that.
Cris Carter Explains Why He Told Justin Jefferson to Stay Quiet
Speaking on “Up & Adams with Kay Adams,” Carter revealed that he urged Jefferson during the offseason to stay quiet about the Vikings’ quarterback situation, no matter how messy things got.
Carter even joked that he “threatened” Jefferson’s life to make sure he followed that advice, explaining that keeping his frustrations private could benefit the star receiver in his relationship with the organization and the fanbase over the long term.
“We’re working on some stuff that’s not normal receiver stuff. If you look at the quarterback controversy, he hasn’t said one word. I threatened his life and told him to keep his mouth shut,” Carter recalled.
“Don’t be like myself. Don’t be like any other wide receiver. Keep doing exactly what you’re doing. You got a great image here. The organization loves you,” the Vikings legend remembered telling Jefferson.
“Don’t complain about the quarterback. Don’t mention the quarterback unless you can say good things about him. And it’s only going to help you.”
Jefferson has established himself as a leader both on and off the field, and Carter wants him to maintain that reputation rather than get caught up in unnecessary drama surrounding the Vikings’ quarterback situation.
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Jefferson has publicly discussed Minnesota’s QB situation several times, but he has generally avoided criticizing the team’s passers or pushing for a particular starter.
Meanwhile, Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray showed encouraging signs in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Having Jefferson, an All-Pro wide receiver, back for a full game may have helped. The two showed what they could bring to Minnesota’s offense with more time to work together.
Returning from an ankle injury, Jefferson made an immediate impact, leading the Vikings with six receptions for 79 yards. He also caught Murray’s only touchdown pass of the game, giving the duo an encouraging start.
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However, ball security remained an issue for Minnesota. The Vikings fumbled three times against the Saints, with Jefferson responsible for one of them. Fortunately, Minnesota recovered the ball before it could turn into a costly mistake.
“This team will never be okay with putting the ball on the ground. We will fix that,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters after Sunday’s win.
“We will rectify that and hopefully play a total game and complete performance where we win the turnover battle 3-0 and finish those two red zone drives with points.”
Minnesota’s defense also delivered a dominant performance, allowing just seven offensive points and holding the Saints to 142 total yards.
After their bye week, the Vikings will host the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 25. As for Jefferson, Carter’s advice should help him stay out of the quarterback drama, regardless of who gets the starting job.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.