Wake Up and Watch Justin Jefferson In Netflix’s “Receiver” Trailer
Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Vikings fans got a special offseason treat last season when Netflix dropped “Quarterback” last summer. The documentary series took a deep look into the lives of Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota, and of course, Kirk Cousins. On it, “Kirko Chainz” talks about throwing touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson, getting knocked down and getting up again and never being kept down, and how much he loves to quote union-busting icon Margaret Thatcher.
Love him or hate him, Cousins was unapologetically his chronically swagless self, putting that image out there for all to see.
This summer, the camera goes towards the sideline and focuses on one of the most electric, unpolarizing, and lovable figures in Vikings history: Jefferson.
The series’ June 13 trailer leads with the Vikings star and NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback front-and-center. “I have an alter ego,” Jefferson says about the differences between him on and off the field. “When I start putting these chains on, start putting the teeth in…” he describes, followed by a cut to a much more casual Jefferson — swapping his cleats for slippers and donning a pair of sweatpants — cackling on his couch.
The show promises to take us behind-the-scenes to hear Jefferson mic’d up on the field as he hauls in touchdowns and hits his Griddies. The trailer also confirms that we will see Jefferson’s mindset during his rehab from a hamstring injury that kept him off the field from Weeks 6 through 12. What happens when the seemingly undestructable Jefferson gets hurt? We’ll find out along with him, as he admits going into unknown territory. “This is my first injury to make me miss a game,” he says with some vulnerability in his voice.
But the biggest question Vikings fans will want to know is: What’s behind that alter ego? We know the Jefferson on the field, the one that makes comparisons to Randy Moss look almost conservative, the one that captures not just the attention of Minnesotans, but the league as a whole. We don’t get to see much of Jefferson when he’s off the field, being a regular dude (or at least, as close to one as any NFL superstar can be).
Jefferson will be the main entree for Vikings fans, of course, but the series also features several other receivers who will be familiar to the Purple and Gold. NFC North rival Amon-Ra St. Brown, who just got a massive payday of his own this offseason, will be featured. So will NFC Contenders George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, though injuries to both Jefferson and Samuel made an otherwise juicy Week 7 Monday Night Football matchup between the San Fransisco 49ers less of a gold mine for material.
Not all was lost, though, as the trailer showed future Hall of Famer Harrison Smith laying out a hit on Kittle to break up a pass. “Harrisson,” Kittle jokingly calls out to Smith, “My wife’s mad at you.”
Rounding out the roster is former Green Bay Packer and current Las Vegas Raider Davante Adams. As much as “Quarterback” delivered last season, “Receiver” promises to be even more entertaining, simply by virtue of highlighting a position whose players have a heightened sense of drama and showmanship. Will we get our generation’s versions of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocincos? If you want to find out, the show drops on Netflix July 10.
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