He played soccer with Vinícius Júnior in Brazil and walked the runway with pal Joe Burrow in Paris. Now, he's bringing the Griddy back to London . In other words, Justin Jefferson is right at home.
The Minnesota Vikings receiver is embracing the international spotlight and becoming a global star at the right time as the NFL adds more games in foreign cities. The undefeated Vikings were scheduled to arrive in London on Friday morning ahead of their game against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. "I just appreciate the travel, just the experience of being in another country, the experience of being in another culture, and just being around another fan base, especially a fan base that only gets one game, two games a year," Jefferson said ahead of the trip.
"So it's just exciting to go to another country, to experience just the whole being in London and being around those London fans." London is just the latest port of call for Jefferson, who visited Rio de Janeiro in 2023 to spend time with Real Madrid star Vinícius. They played soccer and foot-volley but Jefferson also learned about Brazilian cuisine and Black artists in the bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood.
At the end of the trip, he wiped away a tear when reflecting on the experience. In June, Jefferson hit Paris a couple of weeks after signing a four-year extension — the richest contract in NFL history for a non-quarterback. Jefferson and Burrow — their 2019 season at LSU ended with the nat.