Justin Jefferson From Super Bowl Radio Row
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00:00 It's two receivers here, but the guy to my left is the best receiver in the league.
00:04 We got Justin Jefferson. What's up, dog? How are we feeling?
00:07 Hey, man. I can't complain. Very blessed. Very grateful to be in the situation that I'm in.
00:12 Hey, it's a journey, man. It's a journey.
00:16 So I was kind of saying this on the backside here. Patrick, me and Patrick go way back. '08,
00:22 came out the same class. When we were in Arizona, before you got in the league,
00:25 he was saying like, "Hey, my dog Jordan got a little brother. That's gonna take over."
00:29 And so before you started killing at LSU, did you ever see yourself sitting in this position like,
00:36 "I'm the dog. I'm the top dog in the league"? No. I mean, of course, you have the dreams.
00:42 Of course, you have the vision of being out there on that field as a little kid,
00:48 being a superstar, being the top athlete. But there's millions and millions of kids that have
00:55 that same exact dream. So having the ability to see Pat, meet Pat, to experience being at LSU with
01:04 my brothers, seeing Odell, seeing Jarvis, seeing all of these different people at eight, nine,
01:11 10 years old, all of that played a part in my process of being where I am now. Because I
01:19 definitely was watching everything Pat do. I watch everything Odell do. I go to practices and see the
01:24 one hands that they do. So all of that played a part in my mind. And then whenever it was that
01:29 opportunity for me to step foot and do what I need to do, I worked very, very hard at it. I
01:34 wanted to be on this type of platform ever since I had the ability and I had the confidence that I
01:40 could do it. So, hey man, it's been crazy to be in the spots that I have been with the different
01:50 people that has been entering my life. But Pat P is definitely one of my favorite people to
01:56 experience his whole career from college all the way until the NFL. And for him and my brother to
02:02 be best friends and for him to even come to the Vikings and to play on the same team. It's crazy,
02:10 man. It's crazy. - Okay. So you talked about Odell, you talked about Jarvis. Jarvis, my dog.
02:17 I miss you Jarvis. - Facts, facts, facts.
02:21 - So obviously you were around Baton Rouge a lot, looking at a lot of receivers. Were you
02:27 primarily watching those guys and picking up some skills that you got? Obviously the roster's
02:32 crazy. You're pissing ball with your hands. So obviously Odell and them, they were doing that.
02:36 - For sure. - Were you looking at NFL guys as well?
02:39 Or were you modeling yourself out of the guys that you saw in LSU?
02:42 - Yeah. I definitely modeled myself after the guys in the NFL. As soon as Devoncie Adams got
02:49 into the league and really started killing it, started watching his releases, watching his
02:54 ability to run routes and get open. Of course, Keenan Allen always have been a favorite of mine.
03:01 His ability to run routes and get open and not being the fastest on the field is insane to me.
03:09 And of course, being close to Odell and Jarvis, their movements and how Odell moves,
03:15 I pick pieces of everybody. I implement a whole bunch of different styles into my game.
03:22 I feel like that's what makes it very unique because I have a whole bunch of different
03:28 abilities, different ways to run my routes and get open and catch the ball.
03:33 You can't compare me to anyone else. - Right, right, right. Okay. So
03:40 obviously the future is very bright in the NFL when it comes to receivers. You got you,
03:44 you got Jamar Chase. Y'all were teammates in Baton Rouge. Obviously we have the commercials,
03:50 we're going to talk about that in a minute. But how is that friendly level of competition
03:55 between you two? Is it like he got a game first, I see what he did. Okay, I'm going to one up you.
04:01 Talk to me about that, man. Talk to me about that. - It's crazy because when you talk about LSU,
04:07 you think about Odell and Jamar. I mean, the Jarvis, it was just like me and Jamar. We came
04:14 in together. We was just like brothers playing with each other, had that competitive spirit to
04:19 want to beat each other, but also have the respect for each other. I feel like that goes a long way
04:26 for us. But it's just like you said, it's always a competitive thing between us. Just like if I
04:32 catch it one hand, he's trying to outdo that one-hander. If I get a 200-yard game, he's trying
04:37 to get 210. So it's always that competitive spirit with us, and I love that. I love having a person
04:44 that I can really connect to on that side of things to call a brother of mine. We can always
04:50 call each other and talk about anything. And I feel like you have to have that type of connection
04:55 with someone, especially in the league, that has that same type of status as you, that is doing
05:00 great in the league as you, to surround yourself with those type of people. It's great. - That's
05:06 what's up. Okay. So we got the glasses, you got the swag. Talk to me a little bit about that feel
05:14 good, feel good, play good, play good, pay good. Are you a guy where it's like, I'm piecing together
05:20 my fit and depending on the fit that I'm walking through the tunnel, I know what type of game I'm
05:26 going to have today. Talk to me about that. Talk to me about the swag. - I definitely agree. You feel
05:30 good. You look good. You play good. I definitely agree with that. But just like you said, having
05:36 the shades on, having the jewelry on, having the swag, having the nickname Jets, just all of that
05:44 plays a part into having that confidence out there on that field. And then it also goes into,
05:50 it's all showtime at the end of the day. The camera's on you, the kids are watching you.
05:56 That's what it's all about. Just being there for the kids, being that role model for the kids.
06:03 Of course, they're watching every move that you make. So just always having that type of attitude.
06:08 And of course, it keeps me having that confidence. When I'm out there with that type of swag and that
06:15 type of confidence, I feel like no one can guard me. So when I'm out there on that field, it's like,
06:20 hey, I'm going out here making somebody embarrassed. -
06:24 All right. So let's talk about the team for a minute. Obviously, the year prior,
06:31 y'all were one of the top teams. This year, we had some injuries. You missed some games.
06:35 Kirk missed some games. What do you think you guys have to do to get back up into being one
06:39 of the top teams in the league next year? - Yeah. Well, one, we can't hurt ourselves
06:43 with the turnovers. I feel like we were one of the worst teams in the turnovers this year,
06:47 especially from the first five, six games of the season. So that's what the tough part about it is.
06:54 Especially if you look at the games that I had, the first four games, five games of the season,
06:59 I had 140 plus in four of them. So, and still losing, still not getting up. That's the worst.
07:07 You know, as a receiver, that's the worst, having a great game, wanting to be that spark of the game
07:13 and be like, you're one of the main reasons why you won the game. And then not coming out with
07:18 the victory, having one of the best career days. So it's tough to deal with that. But just like
07:24 you said, we had all of the different injuries, all of the different things that happened
07:28 throughout the whole season to really hurt us and to really make it harder for us to overcome.
07:33 And that's a tough thing. And it's football, just like you know, it happens and some stuff you
07:40 really can't control. But it's an off season, it's a long, long process. Definitely looking for ways
07:47 to better myself, of course, as a receiver, but my body as well. Of course, I want to last the
07:55 whole season. I don't want to miss any single games. I don't want to be the reason why we're
08:00 saying, oh, Justin was out and we didn't have our number one receiver and we didn't have our
08:05 number one weapon. So of course, I'm having that in the back of my mind this whole off season and
08:10 having a different process towards things. - All right, so I think you came over here
08:14 with a pillow. - Come on, man.
08:16 - I think you came over with something. - Come on, man.
08:18 - You know what I'm saying? Okay. So talk to us about your partnership with Sleep Number, dawg.
08:21 - Well, first of all, the partnership with Sleep Number has definitely been
08:25 outstanding. Of course, the whole NFL is pretty much using the bed. 80% of the NFL
08:30 players are using the Sleep Number Smart Bed. So that's the number one thing.
08:35 And especially with the whole process of coming back on the field, the recovery,
08:40 sleep is the number one thing. So of course, Sleep Number did a phenomenal job by getting me the bed
08:46 that I needed, the tools that I needed to have me back on the field as fast as possible. And of
08:52 course- - I still got mine.
08:53 - Hey, and now if you buy a pillow, you get a free one and that is going to the American Cancer
09:01 Society. So make sure you buy a pillow and you get a free one and it goes towards the American
09:07 Cancer Society. So this one is for you, my brother. - Oh!
09:11 - This one is for you, my brother. - JJ bringing me gifts. JJ bringing me gifts.
09:15 That's crazy. Hey, Justin Jefferson here. I'm excited. I can go home now. I'm ready to go to
09:21 bed. I need a nap. Man, if I can come in at 12 midnight, I need a nap.
09:25 - Hey, you need a nap. You're going to be well rejuvenated, huh?
09:28 - Appreciate you, guys. - Appreciate you, man.
09:29 Appreciate you having me. Of course. Of course. Much love, my brother.