TAMPA, Fla. -- Minnesota Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he suffered a first-quarter injury to his left ankle.
The injury appeared to occur on the Vikings' final offensive play of their first possession, at the end of a 10-yard catch on a screen play. Jefferson had caught a 22-yard pass earlier on the drive.
Jefferson never required medical assistance on the field but eventually had an extended visit in the blue medical tent. He emerged in the second quarter wearing his helmet and then watched the game from the sideline for a while, before he walked to the locker room. He was not seen on the sideline in the second half of the game.
In his absence, the Vikings shifted their offensive focus to No. 2 receiver Jordan Addison, who caught a 41-yard pass from Kyler Murray to give the team a 17-10 lead with 4:11 remaining in the second quarter. Jauan Jennings and Tai Felton were the Vikings' other receivers when they used three-receiver sets.
Jefferson has largely been healthy in his NFL career, playing in every Vikings game for five of his six full seasons. The lone exception was a torn right hamstring in 2023, an injury that cost him seven games before he was able to return.
He had the worst season of his career in 2025 as the Vikings tried to transition to quarterback J.J. McCarthy, while also using rookie Max Brosmer for two starts. He finished with 1,048 receiving yards for the season; that total in 17 games was less than he accumulated during his 10-game stint in 2023.
The Vikings' decision to replace McCarthy with Murray brought hope that Jefferson could resume his explosive production. He caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, mostly from backup Carson Wentz after Murray sustained a concussion, but managed only three catches for 55 yards in a rain-soaked Week 2 game at the Chicago Bears.
Jefferson's 179 receiving yards this season is the fewest he has had through three weeks in his career.