Vikings Jefferson returns, exits with injury: Latest update

Vikings' Justin Jefferson suffers another injury after previously missing seven games, impacting his goal to reach 1,000 receiving yards.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered an injury with 9:54 left in the second quarter of the game. He was hit hard by Raiders safety Marcus Epps while trying to catch a high pass from quarterback Josh Dobbs. Jefferson immediately left the field, grabbing his lower back in pain.

After being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, it was reported that Jefferson caught two passes on three targets for 27 yards and played a total of 13 snaps. This comes after he previously suffered a right hamstring injury in Week 4, causing him to miss seven games. Despite not starting on Sunday, Jefferson jogged onto the field for the second play of the game.

Following Jefferson's injury, the Vikings' offense struggled, leading to backup quarterback Nick Mullens replacing Dobbs in the fourth quarter of a scoreless game. This is a significant setback for Jefferson, who started the season on a blazing pace, averaging an NFL-high 135.8 receiving yards per game in the first four weeks. At that rate, he was on track to break Calvin Johnson's record of 1,964 yards by Week 15. However, Jefferson has been stuck at 571 yards since his hamstring injury, and he recently expressed his new goal of finishing the season with 1,000 yards.

Unfortunately, achieving this goal may be challenging after his latest injury. Jefferson admitted that it has been difficult to adjust his goals due to missing seven games this season and seeing other players, such as Tyreek Hill, putting up impressive performances. This injury marks the first time Jefferson has been hurt since joining the league, adding to the frustration of the situation.