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The atmosphere of NFL preseason games tends to be more relaxed than what star players and coaches typically experience over the course of the regular season.
But, a player being mic’d during a game has become a relatively normal occurrence in the league. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connnell quickly picked up on the fact that Justin Jefferson was wearing a microphone during Minnesota’s preseason opener.
O’Connell ended up having a lighthearted and hilarious exchange with the superstar wide receiver on the sideline as the Vikings took on the Las Vegas Raiders.
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“The real question is, why — I see Justin, he never stands by himself,” O’Connell said. “He’s the energy, the igniter. Why in the world is he standing off by himself talking to himself? Now I know.”
O’Connell was responding to Jefferson’s request to say a few words to the viewers watching the game’s broadcast.
The three-time Pro Bowler was featured in the game’s broadcast for the entirety of the third quarter. Jefferson’s appearance served as another reminder that the Vikings were participating in an exhibition game and not a regular season contest.
At one point, Jefferson even successfully predicted that a play would result in a touchdown. “Got em, got em, got em, got em,” Jefferson said as rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw a pass to Trent Sherfield Sr.
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Jefferson, who signed a historic contract extension in June, did not play in Saturday’s preseason game.
McCarthy rebounded from an ill-advised throw intercepted by Las Vegas starting cornerback Jack Jones with two touchdown passes against backups, a mixed but promising preseason debut for the Vikings’ future franchise quarterback in a 24-23 victory over the Raiders.
Rookie Will Reichard kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to stop Minnesota’s 10-game preseason losing streak. The Vikings last won an exhibition on Aug. 24, 2019, at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
“Things are going to go bad, and it’s your ability to respond and navigate those waters when it does happen, just being able to have that goldfish memory to just go back out there and have that sling-it mentality,” McCarthy said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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