Justin Jefferson sets new NFL rookie receiving yardage record

In an otherwise dismal 2020 season for the Minnesota Vikings, one of the bright spots was provided by rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and in the Vikings’ season-ending victory over the Detroit Lions he put himself into the record books.

With his nine-catch, 133-yard performance at Ford Field, Jefferson finished his rookie season with 88 catches for 1,400 yards. That yardage total surpassed the Vikings’ rookie record of 1,313 yards that had been set by Randy Moss in 1998 and the NFL rookie record of 1,377 yards that had been set by Anquan Boldin in 2003 for the most yardage for a wide receiver in the Super Bowl era.

The 133 yards for Jefferson on Sunday marked the seventh time this season that he had gone over 100 yards in a game as well, extending both the team and the league record for Super Bowl-era 100-yard games that he had set earlier this year.

Jefferson got off to a slow start in Sunday’s game, as he had just three catches for 30 yards in the first half, but a big second half propelled him to the record.

Congratulations to Justin Jefferson on setting both the Vikings’ record and the NFL record for receiving yardage in a rookie season!