When one visits Wildcat Stadium, it immediately becomes clear how much pride Destrehan High School has in one of its greatest alums – a mural of Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson greets those entering the gates.
Jefferson, likewise, has plenty of pride in his alma mater and home community, and he continues to show it.
Last week, Under Armour shot scenes for a commercial featuring the three-time NFL All-Pro in the Destrehan community, including at DHS, Cypress Lakes and at the Jerusalem Shriners’ banquet hall.
The commercial will feature members of Jefferson’s “NOLA Hot Boys” 7 on 7 team and mentoring program.
It’s the latest instance of Jefferson returning to his community for a notable event.
In 2021, he co-hosted an event centered around building awareness of disparities in access to fitness in underserved communities as well as to make progress toward establishing a
Jefferson signed a sponsorship deal with Under Armour in 2020, just ahead of the NFL Draft where he was selected by the Vikings in the first round. Most would certainly agree that Jefferson has proven to be a huge get for the company, not only rapidly ascending to become one of the league’s most decorated wide receivers through his first three seasons but also one of the most marketable players in the sport.
Under Armour released clothing apparel last year bearing Jefferson’s “Griddy” logo playing off of the dance he’s helped popularize during his time with LSU and the Vikings. The logo features Jefferson holding his fingers around his eyes as he does during the dance. Even Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell got in on the action there, wearing a hoodie with Jefferson’s logo on it to multiple press conferences last season.
On the field, the start to Jefferson’s career has been truly historic, and he has shown no hints of slowing down.
In the 2022-23 season, he captured the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year honor, besting a strong crop of finalists that include Super Bowl starting quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, and Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins.
Jefferson entered the 2022-23 season as the player with the most receiving yards through his first two seasons in NFL history. All he did was follow up on that with his very best season yet: his 128 receptions for 1,809 yards set new franchise record marks for a Minnesota Vikings team that has seen all-time greats like Randy Moss and Cris Carter come through the ranks. He scored nine touchdowns, with eight coming through the air and one on a run.
Jefferson received 35 first-place votes and 192 points, finishing ahead of the runner-up Mahomes’ 10 first-place votes and 75 points.
In addition to the OPOY honor, Jefferson’s 4th and 18 reception that was key in Minnesota’s 33-30 upset over the Buffalo Bills was voted the NFL’s Best Moment of the Year. Jefferson was also named a unanimous first team All-Pro.
He had 10 100 yard games this season, including a franchise record 223 yards in a victory over the Detroit Lions. His play helped Minnesota to a 13-4 record this season, tied for the third-best mark among NFL teams.
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