Jefferson rooting for Darnold, Seahawks in Super Bowl LX
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is rooting for his former teammate, Sam Darnold, to lead the Seattle Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl LX.
"I love that he's in the Super Bowl," Jefferson told USA Today's Prince Grimes. "I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first, with people doubting him and people not giving him the respect. Now they're giving him that respect. They're seeing that he's a top-tier quarterback in this league.
"Selfishly, I wish that he had done that for us last year, but to see him blossom and bounce back right after last year and make it this year, I'm all happy for him, and I hope he wins. I'm rooting for Seattle, and I think Seattle's gonna win."
The Vikings finished 9-8 this season and missed the playoffs after opting not to re-sign Darnold, who led the team to a 14-3 record in 2024. Darnold threw for a career-high 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns in his lone campaign in Minnesota before signing a three-year deal in free agency to join the Seahawks.
In 2025, the Vikings turned the offense over to J.J. McCarthy after he missed his rookie campaign while recovering from a knee injury. The former 10th overall pick faced significant hurdles in his first year as a starter, battling injuries and adjusting to the NFL. Minnesota also started Carson Wentz for five games and Max Brosmer for two contests.
Jefferson posted career lows this past campaign, with 1,048 receiving yards on 84 catches for two touchdowns. However, the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year said he believes the Vikings would've had more success if Darnold remained in Minnesota.
"Everyone knows the difficulty of the quarterback position this year, of how we were dealt it," Jefferson said. "But having a quarterback that's already had a season under his belt with us, knew the plays, knew the playbook, knew the players - throwing to me, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, all these guys - I definitely feel like we would have done better."