Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was named the NFC’s offensive player of the month for November on Thursday and that led to some conversation about another award later in the day.
Jefferson has the best odds of any non-quarterback for the MVP award this season and he was asked about being mentioned as a candidate for the award. Quarterbacks have won the last nine MVPs and no wide receiver has ever won it, so Jefferson’s definitely a dark horse and he said that he would be happy just to be nominated come the end of the season.
“To consider me as an MVP candidate is something that I’m grateful for,” Jefferson said, via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “But . . . MVP won’t determine the stuff that I did for my team throughout the season. I’m the Most Valuable Player in my own eyes. Getting the award would be fantastic, but to be in the discussion is good enough.”
Jefferson said he didn’t begrudge the way the award is tilted toward quarterbacks because their play “pretty much determines if you’re going to be a good offense or not,” but Jefferson’s play this season makes him as deserving of recognition as anyone who plays elsewhere on the field this season.