Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Decries Hits on WR Justin Jefferson

The Minnesota head coach is not happy with the hits his star wide receiver is taking.

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is O.K. after getting banged up in Saturday’s win over the Colts, coach Kevin O’Connell said. However, the Vikings coach is clearly unhappy about the hits Jefferson is taking.

O’Connell said he believes opponents have been hitting Jefferson in ways that don’t seem like typical football plays, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

“I think it’s about the fifth or sixth week in a row he took a type of hit that drew a flag,” he said. “Clearly, there’s an emphasis on the teams we’re playing that some of those hits, they don’t just seem to be by accident at times.”

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Jefferson, who leads the league with 111 catches and 1,623 receiving yards this season, has established himself as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers. That makes Jefferson a focus of any opposing defense.

Now that Minnesota (11-3) has clinched the NFC North, the Vikings are likely be more cautious with their star wide receiver ahead of the playoffs.