The cold war in the Minnesota Vikings‘ quarterback room is showing no signs of a thaw, and Justin Jefferson just turned up the heat again. The star receiver is now publicly questioning the team’s instability at the position while defending his own status as the league’s best wideout after surpassing the 1,000-yard mark. This comes after he recently praised former teammate Sam Darnold, admitting things would have been better if he were still on the team.

“I mean, how I’m not?” Jefferson replied when asked if he thinks he’s still the NFL’s best wideout via reporter Ari Meirov’s post on X. “I mean a lot of people base it off of the quarterback play and just different things that really go into my position. Obviously, I got to rely on, I got to depend on a lot of people in order for me to get that ball. So you know, if I don’t have an elite position or elite quarterback that’s throwing me the ball the entire year, then it’s a little bit difficult to be in those conversations.”

Justin Jefferson is coming off a strong 2025 season, though it fell just short of his usual elite standard. In the 2025 season, he posted 84 receptions on 141 targets and 1,048 yards. And it was not an easy one because J.J. McCarthy’s multiple injuries made the position unstable. It prompted QBs Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer to step in. But even when he was on the field for ten games, his performance wasn’t dominant and lacked consistency.

McCarthy’s struggles, including a 57.6% completion rate and more interceptions than touchdowns, provide the statistical backing for Jefferson’s argument that his production is being hampered by subpar quarterback play.

It is something he felt firsthand in 2025 while other top receivers thrived under proven QBs. For instance, Puka Nacua had an impressive run of 129 catches for 1,715 yards with Matthew Stafford at the helm. Despite the odds, Jefferson trusts in his own ability, citing that there’s still no defensive back in the league who can cover him one-on-one. 

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“So you know, my confidence level will always be high, and I always will feel that I’m number one in my eyes,” he said with a straight face.

Jefferson’s criticism follows comments from his teammate, who also questioned the quarterback situation and lamented the team’s decision to let Sam Darnold walk.

Justin Jefferson’s teammate bashes the Vikings for releasing Darnold

The Vikings finished third in the NFC North with a 9-8 record. There were many issues, including a high number of turnovers and injuries to key players. Still, the major one remained a revolving door at quarterback. While reflecting on the campaign, Minnesota running back Aaron Jones referenced the 2024 season.

That year, his team lost just four games, two each against the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions. And the success was driven by signal-caller Sam Darnold, who carried the offense on his shoulders. Filling in for injured McCarthy, Darnold ended up delivering the best season of his career. 

He ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35), earning his first Pro Bowl selection. But much to everyone’s surprise, the Vikings didn’t re-sign him after such an explosive year. Naturally, the move didn’t sit well with the locker room and fans alike.

“When you got a group of guys behind a quarterback, and he wants to stay somewhere, I think you should try to make it work,” Jones said.

After the Vikings let him go, the Seattle Seahawks locked Darnold in for a three-year, $100.5 million deal. And now, he’s leading them to Super Bowl LX in the very first season. Much like Jones, Jefferson also feels that the Vikings did him dirty last year.

“I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first, people doubting him and people not giving him the respect,” Jefferson said. “Now they’re giving him that respect. Now they’re seeing that he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league.”

These comments paint a clear picture that the locker room is still questioning Minnesota’s quarterback decisions after all this time. With Darnold gearing up for his first Super Bowl appearance, his ex-team reels in regret.