Adding to the list of Justin Jefferson’s extensive bragging rights just three seasons into his career, the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver is now part of a pretty exclusive club.
Jefferson, 24, is the first member of the Madden NFL 24’s “99 Club,” according to a social media announcement Monday. It’s the highest rating a player can receive in the officially licensed video game.
The 99 rating is a first for Jefferson, who received a 93 last year. Now, he’s the highest-rated receiver in Vikings history, with Randy Moss reaching a 98 overall rating in past issues of the game.
Leading the league with 128 catches and 1,809 yards in 2022, Jefferson has recorded 476 receptions for 4,825 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns over his career.
Those stats have earned him plenty of accolades, but he took to Twitter to highlight the significance of this most recent one.
“Y’all have no idea what it means to be a 99 in Madden!! Since I was 7y/o I been creating my own player making him a 99 and now I don’t have to” he wrote with a few mind blown emojis.
Just days ago, he accepted another honor — an ESPY award for “best play.” Dubbed the “Catch of the Century,” Jefferson leaped to a stunning one-handed catch with Minnesota facing a 4th-and-18 at the Buffalo Bills. Snatching a potential interception from Cam Lewis for first down, his play kept Minnesota in the game before securing the 33-30 win.
It was so impressive that it led the Pro Football Hall of fame to put his glove and arm sleeve on display in Canton. When accepting the ESPY award on Wednesday, he spoke about his aspirations to keep achieving more.
“There’s so many things that I want to accomplish and things that I want to prove to myself,” Jefferson said. “So this is the start of it, but there’s more to come for sure.”
The road toward another season begins when the Vikings start training camp on July 25. Fans will have an early opportunity to potentially watch Jefferson during the team’s first open practice on July 29 at TCO Performance Center.
