Vikings WR Justin Jefferson makes feelings on Pro Bowl clear after snub

Much has been made about how the Pro Bowl has lost its luster in recent years after Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was surprisingly named a Pro Bowl replacement earlier this week. 

Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson missed out on a Pro Bowl nod for only the second time since the Vikings made him a first-round pick during the 2020 NFL Draft. During a recent chat with USA Today Sports, Jefferson offered a take about not being selected as a Pro Bowler that may surprise fans who now decide to ignore the annual event. 

Justin Jefferson was downright mad about not being a Pro Bowl selection

"Oh, trust me, I was p----- off I wasn’t a Pro Bowler this year," Jefferson explained, as shared by Madison Williams of Sports Illustrated. "Just with the [difficult] season and still having 1,000 yards, I always try to be consistent and in the Pro Bowls." 

ESPN stats show that Jefferson ended the regular season ranked 13th in the NFL with 84 receptions and 12th with 1,048 receiving yards. That said, he tallied only two receiving touchdowns over 17 games. 

Jefferson's lack of scoring had plenty to do with the fact that J.J. McCarthy didn't live up to the expectations individuals within the Vikings had for the second-year quarterback back in September. Nevertheless, Jefferson insisted that he will use the Pro Bowl snub as motivation to produce a stellar 2026 campaign. 

Justin Jefferson now has "more juice" after Pro Bowl snub

"[A Pro Bowl selection] classifies you as one of the best in the league," Jefferson added. "So, it’s definitely tough not being a part of that this year, but I’m determined. That gives me more juice to put that work in for me not to be in this situation next year." 

Jefferson previously said he "would love for" McCarthy to remain atop the Minnesota depth chart through this coming summer. However, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah later suggested that he could make an offseason acquisition in an attempt to return the Minnesota quarterback room "to a competitive, deep-enough standpoint to get that play-style, that ability to win games for 17-plus games in a season."