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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is out of the hospital and will travel with the team after exiting Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a chest injury, according to ESPN’s Ken Seifert.
Kevin Seifert @SeifertESPN
Justin Jefferson has returned from the hospital and will travel back to MIN with the Vikings. “Chest internal injury” is what Kevin O’Connell called it.
“Feel pretty encouraged” about the early news, he said.
Vikings have a short week heading into Saturday’s game at CIN.
After being ruled out of the game, Jefferson was taken to the hospital out of precaution, per Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune.
Jefferson, who was playing for the first time after missing the previous seven games, recorded two catches for 27 yards before exiting in the second quarter. He took a hard hit to the chest area on his second reception.
Jefferson appeared in the first five games of the 2023 season before suffering a right hamstring injury in a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 24-year-old missed seven games before being activated off injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Minnesota opened his 21-day practice window on Nov. 8, so his activation on Nov. 28 came as little surprise.
Jefferson was solid through the first five games of the season, catching 36 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns.
The LSU product rejoined a Vikings team that is in the thick of the playoff race with a 6-6 record. He was playing with a new quarterback in Josh Dobbs after Kirk Cousins was ruled out for the season after tearing his Achilles in Week 8.
Jefferson would be one of Dobbs’ top targets moving forward alongside tight end T.J. Hockenson if he manages to stay healthy.
While Jefferson may not come close to the 1,800 receiving mark he put up last season, it’s still possible he’ll clear the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season.