Justin Jefferson: J.J. McCarthy is 'always asking me' how to become a top tier QB

"He's definitely the one who's always asking me the questions and wanting to learn more about becoming a better professional."

Justin Jefferson (18) at Vikings training camp / Image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson underwent his most difficult season as a professional in 2023. Now, with a record new deal in hand he is looking to once again show why he is the best receiver in the game and help lead the Vikings' new look offense.

"I'm just continuing to be myself, being a leader on this team, being a vocal leader as my teammates and the coaches ask of me to do," Jefferson said on an appearance on NFL Network on Wednesday.

The role of leader that Jefferson appears to be adopting includes providing advice to rookie quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who has been bending the ear of the best wide receiver in the game.

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"I'm just excited how he's growing as a player," said Jefferson when asked about his impressions of McCarthy. "He's always asking me different questions on how to become that top tier quarterback. Not just a quarterback but a player in general and 'How do I learn? How do I become a better player in this offense? How do I get to learn this offense better?' He's definitely the one who's always asking me the questions and wanting to learn more about becoming a better professional.

"Our lockers are right next to each other. So even after practice, he's showing me film [and asking] 'Hey, how do I do this? What are you looking at right here?' So, he's definitely a student of the game. He's just trying to fit in as much as he can. He definitely has a strong arm and I'm definitely excited to see some of the plays that he's been making out there on the field."

When asked if anything is different in the locker room for him now that he's signed his four-year, $140 million extension, Jefferson simply said, "Not really."

"I always said the money was going to come. Just with my play and my ability to perform on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays I believed that the money was going to come," continued Jefferson. "Inside this building, I always had that leadership role, especially since last year I had the C on my chest as a captain. My responsibility is to keep this team up to where it needs to be, to be the role model inside and outside this building. I've been having that since before the money came so it's really nothing has changed, besides my bank account a little bit."

The star receiver is looking to bounce back from a season in which he missed seven games due to a hamstring injury. Despite the injury, and and a rotating cast of quarterbacks, Jefferson was still able to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, for the fourth consecutive season. On what he learned about himself while dealing with the adversity in 2023, Jefferson said, "I have to be patient."

"[I have to] stick to what I know. The hamstring injury was definitely tough, just having to do physical therapy, having to do recovery and trying to get back on the field as fast as possible. Missing that many games throughout the season, that's never the plan but things happen, injuries happen in this type of game and you just gotta go with it," Jefferson continued.