Video: Justin Jefferson suffers scary injury at Minnesota Vikings training camp
By John Buhler
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffers a shoulder injury in practice.
To add injury to insult, the Minnesota Vikings saw their best receiving target Justin Jefferson suffer a shoulder injury in Friday’s training camp practice.
Jefferson was brought down on a tackle in practice and landed on his shoulder awkwardly. He was in obvious pain, as he was helped off the field, but was able to walk to the locker room under his own power. Jefferson is coming off a sensational first NFL season out of LSU where he was the best wide receiver in arguably the deepest class that particular position group has ever assembled.
Let’s hope Jefferson’s shoulder injury is nothing major and he can rejoin the team very soon.
Justin Jefferson goes down and is attended to by several trainers. Helped off the field and walking to the facility under his own power
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) August 6, 2021
Better video of the Justin Jefferson injury at practice. He lands hard on his left shoulder and is in obvious pain. Not what you want to see.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 6, 2021
(🎥 @AndyMacSports)
pic.twitter.com/a3MJAYg5MM
#Vikings WR Justin Jefferson went down with what appeared to be a shoulder/arm injury at practice. He stayed down on the field before eventually walking off and heading inside with trainers. pic.twitter.com/rzWFXfhauX
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 6, 2021
Justin Jefferson Injury: Minnesota Vikings star WR suffers AC Joint injury
After leaving the field, it was reported that Jefferson had suffered a sprained AC joint.
Vikings’ WE Justin Jefferson, who left practice today grabbing his left shoulder after he fell to the ground, has a sprained AC joint, per source. “Nothing serious,” per source, but there will be further testing this weekend.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2021
There is no way around it. This has been a hellish start to Vikings training camp. From two of their quarterbacks being placed in COVID-19 protocol, to Kirk Cousins preferring to live life in a three-dimensional plexiglass cube, to having to release last year’s first-round pick in cornerback Jeff Gladney, the only other NFL franchise who can relate to this might be the Indianapolis Colts.
This is a season with great expectations for the Vikings. While they are talented enough to reach the postseason, anything less than that might cost head coach Mike Zimmer his job. Minnesota may not be favored to win the NFC North this year, but the Vikings should be a top-seven team in the NFC. It will be hard for them to compete if Jefferson misses any significant time in 2021.
Sprained AC Joint recovery time
Luckily, the recovery time for a sprained AC joint is not as long as it sounds. Schefter’s report cited a source who didn’t sound too worried about the injury, which is an encouraging sign.
So much of Minnesota’s upside this season falls on the shoulders of Jefferson, to be honest.
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