Justin Jefferson “not mad” at Kirk Cousins for leaving Vikings

The Vikings didn’t pay to keep Kirk Cousins. They did pay Justin Jefferson.

So, the star receiver will have a new quarterback throwing to him this year as the Vikings build their offense around Jefferson.

Cousins left for the Falcons’ four-year, $180 million offer, leaving veteran Sam Darnold and first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to battle to replace him with the Vikings.

“Yeah and no,” Jefferson said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show when asked if he was surprised by Cousins’ departure. “I always knew Kirk was going to do whatever he needs to do for his business-wise. I just knew that everything wasn’t the way he wanted it to be here. Especially just with having to pay me and having to pay so many other different guys, I feel like he just wanted a new start. A new opportunity to start with Atlanta and a clean slate. I’m not mad at him at all for that. I’m grateful for what he has brought to me, and the things that we have accomplished together, but at the end of the day it’s a business. You have to do what you have to do for yourself and your family. I clearly understand that. It’s on to the next.

“It doesn’t really matter what quarterback it is in my eyes, I’m always going to make the best of the opportunity. Always going to try to be the quarterback’s friend and make his job a lot easier. It doesn’t matter if it’s Kirk or if it’s Sam or it’s J.J. I’m going to make it as easy as possible for them.”

Jefferson, the 2022 offensive player of the year, signed a four-year, $140 million extension this offseason. In four seasons, he has 354 catches for 5,338 yards and 29 touchdowns in 54 games with Cousins and 38 receptions for 561 yards and one touchdown in six games without Cousins.