Fans cheer during the second half of an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 33-26. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
The Vikings announced Justin Jefferson’s return to practice.
EAGAN, Minnesota – Justin Jefferson has taken the first step toward getting back into action.
The Vikings confirmed Jefferson’s return to practice on Wednesday, effectively activating the 21-day window in which the organization can opt to move him from Injured Reserve to the 53-man roster.
Jefferson strained his hamstring in Minnesota’s Week 5 game against Kansas City. On October 11, he was placed on Injured Reserve, indicating that he would be out for at least four games.
The Vikings have consciously and successfully navigated Jefferson’s absence, winning four straight games to improve to 5-4 on the season.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that they are “working through” the timing for Jefferson’s comeback.
“Justin has done an excellent job with his rehabilitation. He still attends meetings. “He’s mentally engaged,” O’Connell remarked. “We’re going to do what’s best for Justin and make sure we’re doing everything responsibly to make sure that when Justin does return, he can be the Justin Jefferson we all know and expect to see out there, and I just credit him for how he’s worked through it and through this whole process.”
“We did open Justin Jefferson’s window. “He will be acclimated back in and through a predetermined timeline that we are working through,” O’Connell explained. “He’s killed his whole rehab and done great things, everything we’ve asked of him and now we can kind of systematically get him back to a place where we can have him out there with us.”
O’Connell was asked whether Jefferson may return before Minnesota’s Week 13 bye.
“Yeah, I believe we have a general timeline in mind for how it will play out. “I think we’ll just take it one day at a time from now on,” O’Connell added. “What this does is allow him to take part, little individual [drills] here and there, little bit of team period here and there, just getting a feel for, just getting back acclimated to being in the huddle, and then he’s been great in meetings and with his treatments, and all of those things will continue forward, and now we can just kind of build it up little by little, but I do think Justin is on a good timeline, considering the outlook on this thing when we first
The Vikings held a walk-through on Wednesday. During the media availability, Jefferson tossed footballs with Vikings equipment assistant Terrell Barnes.
When asked if Jefferson could play as early as this week, O’Connell responded, “That would probably be a little aggressive.”
“I believe he feels quite wonderful. I know we all feel good about where he’s at, but we’re going to take it one day at a time and do what’s best for Justin and his long-term career here in Minnesota, and he clearly wants to return and make an impact on this club,” O’Connell said. “He’s been, you guys have seen him, he’s been all in, right there on the sidelines with his teammates, fighting it out, every single week through this whole stretch and he can’t wait to get back out there.”
Jefferson’s day in Atlanta last week included going over to K.J. Osborn to encourage him after the latter suffered a concussion, as well as enthusiastically celebrating the victory with teammates following Brandon Powell’s touchdown catch from Joshua Dobbs with 22 seconds remaining.
