As much as the Vikings have consistently preached the importance of team success over individual stats, the most important order of business right now could be finding a way to get star receiver Justin Jefferson over 1,000 yards.

There isn’t much for the Vikings to play for when they host the Green Bay Packers. They can’t make the playoffs no matter what happens on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. They will be playing for pride more than anything else.

That’s why the Vikings could do everything in their power to help their best player continue his historic streak.

Since the Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, Jefferson has taken the league by storm, never failing to eclipse 1,000 yards at any point in his career. He once did it in 10 games after missing a large chunk of time with a hamstring strain.

That was the only other time Jefferson even flirted with missing the mark until this season. His lack of production has left him needing 53 yards to reach the milestone when the Vikings play the Packers.

What’s going through his head heading into the finale?

“To let it all out,” Jefferson said. “To give it my all.”

The fact that Jefferson isn’t a lock to eclipse 1,000 yards speaks to how much of a roller coaster it’s been with young quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the helm. To this point, Jefferson is only averaging 48.4 yards per game with McCarthy as the starter. The downturn has been staggering when considering how dominant he has been for most of his career.

Not that Jefferson has ever been willing to throw McCarthy under the bus. He’s stood up for his signal caller at every turn this season. He did so again on Thursday afternoon at TCO Performance Center when asked if he wants McCarthy to be the starter next season.

“I would love for him to be the quarterback,” Jefferson said. “I would love to have him, and love to work with him and show everybody that he is that No. 1 guy.”

The continued support of McCarthy doesn’t take away from Jefferson starting to feel the pressure of still not having won a playoff game with the Vikings. He knows it’s something he has to accomplisher sooner rather than later.

“I hate cutting on that TV in late January and February and seeing other teams playing,” Jeffersons said. “That’s something we’ve got to change.”

There’s nothing that Jefferson can do about it this season. Not when the Vikings were officially eliminated from playoff contention a couple of weeks ago. He won’t have a chance to change the narrative until next season.

That’s why him continuing his historic yards streak could take precedence over everything else when the Vikings play the Packers. He’s been a good soldier throughout a disappointing campaign and, perhaps, deserves to be rewarded in some way, shape, or form.

“The last opportunity to get 1,000 yards,” Jefferson said with a knowing smile. “It’s about going out there and having that kid mindset and having fun.”

If he does that, the rest should take care of itself.

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Two women in separate vehicles died in a two-vehicle crash in Pierce County on Tuesday.

The Pierce County sheriff’s office was called to the crash on U.S. 63 near 770th Street in the town of Trenton at about 4 p.m. Tuesday. They found the driver of a 2013 Kia Optima and the driver of a 2012 Chevy Equinox had crashed while traveling in opposite directions on the highway.

The sheriff’s office said the Kia was being driven southbound by Jena Klos, 43, of Ellsworth, Wis. She was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul where she was later pronounced dead. The driver of the Chevy, Rodney Buck, 77, of Amery, Wis., was also transported to the hospital. His injuries were not released by authorities on Friday.

A passenger in his vehicle, Betty Buck, 77, of Amery, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The details of the crash are under investigation.

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A woman walking on a park trail near Crystal Lake West Thursday morning was grabbed from behind by a man who put his hand over her mouth and said that he had a weapon, Burnsville police said.

The woman was able to fight the man and run away. She ran home and called 911 at about 8:15 a.m.

Police are investigating the incident and ask residents in the area to review home surveillance footage for anything that might help the investigation.

Police and park patrols have been increased in the nearby parks and neighborhoods as a precaution, police said.

Burnsville police officered the following tips in their press release about the assault, asking people to remain aware of their surroundings and report anything suspicious.

• Trust your instincts and move to a well-lit or populated area if something feels off.
• Consider walking with a friend when possible.
• Keep your phone accessible while avoiding distractions.
• Call 911 for urgent situations or non-emergency dispatch for lesser concerns.

Anyone that has information about this assault, including possible video footage from home surveillance footage, is asked to call or email Detective Natalie Sandifer at 952-641-1153 or natalie.sandifer@burnsvillemn.gov.

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The Gophers football program engaged in a nerve-racking recruiting battle with Ohio State for Koi Perich in the 2024 class, but the U beat out the Buckeyes for the signature of the four-star prospect coming out of Esko High School.

There might be a sense of pensive déjà vu in Dinkytown this winter.

Minnesota Gophers linebacker Devon Williams (9) and defensive back Koi Perich (3) tackle Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) in the first quarter of an NCAA football game at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

After two season at Minnesota, Perich has yet to announce whether he will return to the Gophers for the 2026 season or will enter the NCAA transfer portal. The window for players to hit the open market opens Friday and closes Jan. 16.

The Gophers have had approximately 14 total players share intent to enter the portal, including two key players from last year’s team — backup running back Fame Ijeboi and starting cornerback Za’Quan Bryan. But losing Perich would rocket to the top of the list of defections.

Running back Darius Taylor also left fans waiting to know his future but before the Rate Bowl in Phoenix last week he told KMSP-TV he is not transferring out. It’s more likely the Detroit native will be back in maroon and gold for his senior year in 2026 than go to the NFL draft. He needs to show pro teams he can stay healthy.

If Perich returns for next season, he would take up a sizable portion of the Gophers’ revenue-sharing and NIL budgets. If he leaves — likely with more money on the table from other programs — the U will have that bigger pot to use in the portal on potential replacements and elsewhere on the roster.

Perich arrived at Minnesota in 2024 with aplomb.

The true freshman safety was named all-Big Ten first team after five interceptions and 46 total tackles across all 13 games. He added 314 yards on kickoff returns and 188 on punts. Pro Football Focus gave Perich a sterling 88.9 overall grade, with 74.7 in tackling across 424 total defensive snaps.

More was put on Perich’s plate in his sophomore season.

He played a team-high 789 defensive snaps and was third on the team with 82 total tackles and added 499 yards on kickoff returns and 118 more on punts. He also dabbled on offense, with a handful of touches in the regular season.

But PFF was a harder grader of his defensive performances, with an average overall mark of 62.4, including a below-average mark of 51.4 in the tackling category.

“I think he got better as the year went on,” Gophers defensive coordinator and safeties coach Danny Collins said before the 20-17 win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl. “I think a lot of people, when they look at Koi from his freshman year to his sophomore year, everybody wants to talk about the interceptions. You had five in your first year and one (in the second season). What happened? That’s a drop-off. I don’t necessarily see it that way. When people know that there is a dangerous guy back there, they usually stay away from him with the ball.”

In 2024, Perich benefitted from interceptions on Hail Mary plays from Southern Cal and UCLA. In 2025, he had one pick, but it was a huge one. In a 27-20 win over Purdue on Oct. 11, he disguised coverage, jumped in front of a route and returned it 27 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

The big-time play was part of Perich’s bounce back from a rough outing in a 27-14 loss at California on Sept. 13, when he muffed a punt that gave the Golden Bears a short field that resulted in a pivotal late touchdown.

“He had a really, really hard game (at Cal),” Collins said. “Then you see the growth and the progress that he continued to have. (I’m) really proud of the resilience he has, to see him continue to get better. Excited, obviously, for the future.”

Perich had three receptions and one carry across in the Gophers’ first three games, but after his game in Berekeley, he didnt have catch or rush for six straight games. Then in the Rate Bowl win, Perich totaled four receptions for 34 yards and added two carries for seven.

He played 20 snaps on offense in the regular season, but had 22 snaps on that side of the ball against New Mexico.

If Perich leaves, Minnesota would lose not only a key defensive player, but a dangerous return man and a potential big-play option on offense for the 2026 season.

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