Justin Jefferson has spoken openly about the Minnesota Vikings’ decision to let Sam Darnold leave the team after the 2023 season. Darnold, who led the Vikings to a 14-3 record in his first year with the team, signed a three-year, $100 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. His move had immediate consequences, as he helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl while the Vikings struggled with J.J. McCarthy as his replacement, finishing the season with a 9-8 record.

Jefferson, a star wide receiver for the Vikings, has shared his thoughts on the team’s decision to part ways with Darnold, which he believes contributed to the team’s struggles this season. His comments come shortly after the Vikings fired a member of their front office for the decision to let Darnold play elsewhere.

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“Yep, for sure, definitely,” Jefferson said. “Everyone knows how hard it is to be a quarterback this year, and how we were dealt it.” After Darnold left for the Seahawks, the Vikings turned to McCarthy, hoping he could replicate the success of the former No. 3 overall pick. Instead, McCarthy struggled throughout the season with both his performance and injuries.

The lack of stability at quarterback created a revolving door of players under center, making it difficult for the Vikings to find consistency. Jefferson believes that having a quarterback who was already familiar with the team’s system would have made a significant difference.

“But having a quarterback that already had a season under his belt with us, knew the plays, knew the playbook, knew the players, throwing to me, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, all these guys, I definitely feel like we would have done better,” he added.

Jefferson also took a moment to praise Darnold for his success in Seattle, especially as the Seahawks aim to win their first Super Bowl in over a decade. “But it is what it is, it’s on to newer and better things. But I’m definitely happy and proud of him that he is able to reach it this year,” he concluded.

In addition to Jefferson’s comments, former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah admitted that letting Darnold go was a mistake. He acknowledged that the decision to trust McCarthy with leading the franchise may have cost the team valuable opportunities. Adofo-Mensah reflected on the decision, saying, “There are nights you wake up and stare at the ceiling and ask yourself.”

“I always go back to the process and what we thought at the time. I still understand why we did what we did. The results maybe didn’t play out the way we wanted them to, but ultimately, at the end of the day I think we could have executed in certain places.”

Just one day after his admission, the Vikings announced they were parting ways with Adofo-Mensah. The timing of the decision was unusual, as he had recently signed a multiyear extension and was present at the Senior Bowl. The move suggests the team is unsure about McCarthy’s ability to lead the franchise to success.

With the Vikings still uncertain about their quarterback situation, one of their main needs this offseason is acquiring a veteran signal caller. Retaining Darnold could have prevented many of the issues the team faced this season. Now, the Vikings will have to watch as Darnold leads the Seahawks into battle against the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX.