Justin Jefferson Becomes Fourth Minnesota Vikings Player To Join ‘Madden 99 Club’
This won't come as a huge surprise to fans - Justin Jefferson is an elite player. That status has been further solidified by the team with the popular Madden video game franchise.
While it doesn't mean much of anything for the upcoming season in the real world, it's considered a high honor among fans and players around the league, achieving the rare feat of getting the top overall rating a player can get in the video game.
The Electronic Arts team behind Madden NFL 24 shared the news on Monday morning (July 17) that Jefferson is joining the elite names that have achieved the honors over the years, including a video in a tweet that highlighted comments from JJ and other players around the league.
Those comments included Atlanta Falcons player Keith Smith calling JJ "bouncy" and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown calling him "smooth" with "long arms, long limbs."
Seahawks rookie Zach Charbonnet said "I just like the way he plays. He's fast. I love that style", while Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims said, "The guy takes care of his business on the field and off the field."
JJ's naming to the '99 Club' notes a bit of interesting Vikings trivia. Jefferson becomes the highest-rated wide receiver in Vikings history, and the first Vikings ever to earn the 99 overall rating within the Madden franchise. Yep, even beating out Randy Moss. Moss held a top rating of 98 during his time with the Vikings, holding the previous high mark for wide receivers playing for Minnesota.
Some incredible catches and amazing stats last year, coupled with impressive rookie year and year-two statistics, earned Jefferson the spot in the exclusive club.
Some highlights within the 99 overall rating for Jefferson include a speed rating of 92, acceleration rating of 93, catching rating of 98, and spectacular catch rating of 99.
Here's a look at all of the Minnesota Vikings players over the years that have earned a 99 overall rating: