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Kevin Seifert, ESPN Staff Writer
The last time Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander took the field together, Alexander mocked Jefferson’s signature touchdown dance. Jefferson has different plans for Sunday’s matchup between the teams at Lambeau Field.
“He likes to do things like that to get inside someone’s head,” Jefferson said Thursday. “I’m not really tripping on it. I’m just going to put my Griddy in his end zone, so I’m not tripping on it at all. I’m looking forward to the matchup.”
The annual matchup between the two heats up in Week 1 of the 2022 season. Jefferson caught nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-7 Vikings victory. Alexander called the play “a fluke” and mocked Jefferson’s Griddy when the Packers held him to one catch for 15 yards in a 41-17 win in Week 17 of that season.
Jefferson missed the team’s first game of 2023 due to a right hamstring injury, while Alexander was suspended for the second game. Jefferson said Thursday that the competition seemed more important to Alexander than to him.
“I didn’t care if he played or not,” Jefferson said. “Last year… during that time we fought to get back into the playoffs and make another run. That was something I was looking forward to. I honestly don’t really care about the matchup. I think he cares more than I do. There’s more, but that’s what it means.
“It’s every team, don’t knock Jaire. That’s every team and how they plan against me and how they try to play me. So it doesn’t matter if I’m playing against Jaire or the worst corner in the league.”
With that being said, Jefferson knows that Alexander will be playing mental games all afternoon, just like his older brother did when he was young.
“I always try to be good at all the little things and try to be on top of the game,” Jefferson said. “Just try to hit you a little harder or push you a little further than what normal people would do. But I understand that it’s a tactic. It’s a tactic that gets in my head and messes with my game plan and my look, but I’m doing it. It doesn’t actually work.
“I understand he gets help over the top sometimes and he likes to jump jam and put his hand up and get in the way of his path, but we have a plan for that. I’d like to fight against it, honestly.”
