Welcome to the kick-off to our Well With series, in which local celebs and notables share their fitness routines and talk about what wellness means to them. Someone you’d like to hear from? Send their name to edit@mspmag.com.
Photo via Justin Jefferson's Instagram, @jjettas2
Justin Jefferson, Vikings wide receiver
On any given fall Sunday in Minnesota, you’d be hard-pressed to walk into a sports bar or grocery store and NOT see number 18 smattered on jerseys throughout. The last time (in recent memory) Vikings fans were this excited and hopeful about impending matchups was… well, never.
Justin Jefferson’s name has been tossed around with the likes of Odell Beckham Jr., Jerry Rice, and Randy Moss. (We’d like that dinner party!) The Vikings wide receiver, now in his third year with the team, shattered rookie records in his inaugural season as a first-round pick in the 2020 draft and has only continued to induce whooping and fist-pumping since. After making a “catch of the year” in November’s win over the Bills—and making the one-handed snag look easy!—Jefferson’s name littered headlines touting his continual prowess as the best in the game.
November's performance earned Jefferson NFC Offensive Player of the Month for the second time in his career, making him the first Vikings WR to earn that accolade twice.
We’re still trying to wrench our jaws off the ground from an NFL record 33-point comeback to clinch a playoff spot on Saturday. A win that solidified the 23-year-old's stance in a class of his own. No comparison. He reigns as the GOAT—overused, but exceedingly true in his case. And he’s on OUR team (this never happens, Minnesota!).
Despite making each maneuver look effortless, we all know lots of effort goes in behind the scenes to make those catches possible. Just before Saturday’s division-winning game against the Colts, ever-humble Jefferson talked about his fitness and wellness routines, having a workout buddy, and his love of ice cream and cookies.
As a professional athlete, your job is—of course—very physically demanding. What does your typical/daily fitness and wellness routine consist of?
Whether I’m in season or in offseason, I keep to a strict fitness and nutrition regimen. During the week, I work out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, then Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are rest days, which are just as important. For my weight workouts, I keep it relatively simple. I bench, squat, power clean, do curls, and hit the leg press. I also do a fair amount of conditioning, running, and, of course, practice. For maintenance, I also get in a lot of physical therapy and rehab, as needed. I tend to spend a lot of time doing core work. That’s the only way that I’m able to twist and bend and flip and make all these catches in the way that I do. I try to do 10 to 15 minutes of ab and core work every workout and I feel like it’s one of my keys to success.
Nutrition is a huge part of my recovery work and overall nutrition plan. I am always on the go, and one of the best ways for me to ensure I am refueling properly in between games, travel, and training is to ensure I get enough protein, which is key for anyone really. Specifically, I start and end my day with an Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Protein Shake, which has 24 grams of protein and 24 vitamins and minerals, which I can take on the go. Plus, it’s like a little cheat for me because it is like a vanilla shake. I also incorporate Optimum Nutrition’s Essential Amin.O. Energy drink throughout the week to give me a little boost for the second half of the day. I try to work a lot of berries, bananas, and green vegetables in my meals throughout the week as well.
I tend to spend a lot of time doing core work. That’s the only way that I’m able to twist and bend and flip and make all these catches in the way that I do.Justin Jefferson, Vikings wide receiver
A lot of your performance relies on keeping your head in the game—to quote High School Musical. Tell me some of the ways you care for your mental health.
I’m a big believer that mental health and mindset have a great impact on physical wellness. Even though my schedule is crazy during the season and sometimes even during the offseason, I make sure to prioritize time to recharge. My favorite way to relax is through playing video games. I like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and Fortnite, of course. Some days, it’s just nice to hop on Madden, play as the Vikings, and only throw yourself the ball so you end up with 300 yards. I also love to enjoy a nice, home-cooked meal.
Tell me about the role your community and team play in your fitness routine. How important is it for you to have that camaraderie, in terms of your wellness routine?
Working out with my brother is something that I’ve done for a long time, and it still gives me a lot of motivation to this day. Throughout my career, I have also seen a lot of motivation come from working out with other receivers, as it allows me to do similar workouts with them, and we can critique and coach each other. There is a distinct level of motivation and accountability that I experience in working out with others, but more importantly the growth in those bonds with another person or within a community are a crucial part of my wellness routine.
What are your indulgences or guilty pleasures?
While I try to stick to a solid regimen during the season and off-season to keep me healthy and productive, there’s always some room for a bit of indulgence and guilty pleasures. I like cookies and ice cream. For ice cream, I’ll take a nice vanilla caramel mix. For cookies… give me some white chocolate macadamia cookies. Those are a hit.
Tell us something surprising, fitness-related or other, that most people don’t know about you.
Slowly but surely, I want to extend my Louis Vuitton collection to be the athlete with the most. I’m guessing Floyd Mayweather is probably my biggest competition.
