For Justin Jefferson, Super Bowl week carries a strange mix of admiration and regret.
The Vikings’ star wide receiver can’t help but look at this year’s matchup and wonder how different the story might have been if Minnesota had stayed the course at quarterback. As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for Super Bowl 60 with Sam Darnold under center, Jefferson admitted the thought has crossed his mind more than once. Asked by USA Today whether the Vikings could be in this spot instead of Seattle had Darnold remained in purple, Jefferson didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, for sure, definitely.”
Minnesota’s 2025 season unfolded far differently than the one before it. After a 14-3 campaign in 2024 led by Darnold, the Vikings entered this year juggling quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer – a rotation that made consistency hard to find. The result was a 9-8 finish and an early offseason, a sharp contrast from the team that had been among the NFC’s elite just a year earlier. Meanwhile, the most impactful absence from that roster – Darnold – is preparing for the biggest game in football.
“Everyone knows the difficulty of the quarterback position this year, how we were dealt it,” Jefferson said. And it’s impossible not to imagine the alternative. Jefferson believes familiarity alone could have shifted Minnesota’s trajectory. “Having a quarterback that 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. But it is what it is. It’s on to newer and better things. But I’m definitely happy and proud of him that he is able to reach it this year.”
For Jefferson, there’s pride in seeing a former teammate thrive – even if it comes with a lingering sense of what might have been. The ripple effects of Minnesota’s quarterback shuffle showed up clearly on the stat sheet. Jefferson’s numbers took a noticeable hit from one season to the next, dropping from 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024 to 1,048 yards and just two scores in 2025. Still, as he reflected on the difference Darnold might have made, Jefferson made a point not to cast blame on McCarthy. Instead, he emphasized patience and long-term belief in the young passer.
“Obviously, during this offseason we’ll work more to get to where we would like to go,” Jefferson said. “It’s building blocks to it. It don’t just happen overnight.”
Darnold followed up his 14-win season with the Vikings by leading Seattle to a 14-3 record with 4,048 passing yards and 25 touchdowns – the first time the Seahawks won 14 games in a regular season – and a Super Bowl berth. Jefferson is proud of Darnold’s rise, yet frustrated watching another team achieve the postseason run he’s still chasing.
“It’s tough to watch,” Jefferson said. “I love that he’s in the Super Bowl. I’m happy for him, I want nothing but the best for him, especially the way his journey was at first, people doubting him and people not giving him the respect. Now they’re giving him the respect. Now they’re seeing that he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league. Of course, selfishly, I wish 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 happy for him, and I hope he wins. I’m rooting for Seattle, and I think Seattle’s gonna win. I’ll be rooting for him.”
Darnold’s run has also placed him in rare company, becoming one of the few quarterbacks – alongside Tom Brady – to lead teams to at least 14 wins in consecutive seasons.
In Minnesota, the fallout from a disappointing year has already begun. The Vikings are reshaping their leadership after firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, signaling that more change could be on the way.