Justin Jefferson Accepts Blame, Vows to Vikings Players Fumble ‘Won’t Happen Again’

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There was plenty that went wrong for the Minnesota Vikings during Thursday’s 34-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but Justin Jefferson’s fumble out of the back of the end zone for a touchback shortly before halftime stood out.

Especially given the six-point deficit at the end.

“I’m putting it a lot on myself,” Jefferson said of the loss, per Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. “Fumbling in the end zone like that when we need points and we’re driving and having that momentum. I was telling my teammates that’s on me and it won’t happen again.”

Had the Vikings scored a touchdown on that drive, they likely would have entered halftime with a lead.

Instead, Jefferson’s fumble gave the Eagles one more possession prior to intermission, and the home team took advantage by moving into position for Jake Elliott to drill a 61-yard field goal and extend the advantage to 13-7.

Philadelphia took the momentum from that turn of events and scored two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second half to open up a commanding 27-7 lead. To Minnesota’s credit, it fought back to make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter.

But it never got over the top.

“Nobody’s more torn up about that one than Justin,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We try to emphasize only reaching the ball out on fourth down, but he’s a competitor. He’s playing a heck of a football game and making plays and trying to do whatever he can to win because that’s ultimately what he cares about the most. But that was incredibly unfortunate at the time—very similar to last week, late in the first half, a chance to have the lead going into halftime, and before you know it, it got away from us.”

While Jefferson was focused on his mistake after the loss, he was largely excellent for the second straight game.

He tallied 11 catches for 159 yards after posting nine catches for 150 yards in the first loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is yet to find the end zone, but those touchdowns will surely come for arguably the best wide receiver in the league.

He just likely won’t be reaching for them as much if he is near the goal line after Thursday’s fumble.