Vikings WR praises Justin Jefferson for ‘coaching’ him during rookie season

The Minnesota Vikings' decision to select wide receiver Jordan Addison with the No. 23 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was noteworthy for several reasons. Not only did the Vikings already have a superstar wideout in Justin Jefferson, but it pointed to an obvious commitment to airing it out offensively.

And while spending a first-round pick at a position where a team currently has a star can surely lead to mixed feelings, Addison recently said it was the opposite when he arrived and began working with Jefferson. During an interview with Metro Sport, Addison heaped praise on his teammate, calling the 25-year-old a "humble superstar."

“A really humble superstar. Just coming in and just helping me," Addison said. "[Jefferson] was a top receiver and they drafted another first-round receiver, so not a lot of people would take that well, but I feel like he did a good job of coaching me up and making sure I was prepared.”

Addison stepped up in a big way during the 2023 NFL season, catching 70-of-108 targets that came his way for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, his production was magnified as a rookie even more than normal, as Jefferson played in just 10 regular-season games due to injury. 

While Jefferson still totaled 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five scores, Addison was thrust into the spotlight as the team's top receiver in his teammate's absence and helped the Vikings' passing game continue to produce at a high level even with one of the league's most dominant pass-catchers missing time.