When JJ McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury before the start of his rookie year, it was expected that the Vikings would take a big step back in 2024.
Well, Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson apparently had other plans.
After a dominant Week 1 win over the Giants, the Vikings seemed ready for their Week 2 test against the reigning NFC champion 49ers. It certainly helps when Darnold can simply throw a pass out of his own end zone and Jefferson has to deal with an entire secondary.
We saw this in action on a stunning 97-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the second quarter.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON, 97 YARD TUDDY!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/0PJs9mheCK
— NFL (@NFL) 15 September 2024
I mean, wow. Jefferson is from another planet. And keep an eye on the referee – he did his endurance feat on this play. That’s quite a bike.
NFL fans were understandably in awe after that touchdown, and Niners fans couldn’t believe a referee had burned their secondary.
How Twitter/X reacted
The ref was faster than our safeties, my god, lol https://t.co/UhJwNrFGwJ
— trev (@BayAreaTrev) 15 September 2024
the referee but… sign the man https://t.co/nPkGdi3i37
— 🌊 Cameron 🌊 (@NPLM_) 15 September 2024
After “with all due respect, I’m not Garrett Wilson” this is even crazier https://t.co/B1m217ea3j
— Mike Barwin (@MikeBarwin) 15 September 2024
the referee: pic.twitter.com/dRppyt0vLe https://t.co/rGhKOhn96w
— ⊹ (@htvzn) 15 September 2024
Why was the back referee faster than our two safeties? That’s a problem. https://t.co/UWjwrfbqGR
— Crant (@CrantGohn) 15 September 2024
This guy is amazing. https://t.co/5VHytzMDyf
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) 15 September 2024
I don’t want to hear anymore about “Jerry Rice”, man, that’s the GOAT https://t.co/FqKeLkZMk7
— 🏃🏾♂️ (@R3TROFLOW) 15 September 2024
This is some of the craziest sports shit I’ve ever seen omfgggg https://t.co/c3ksHraHRb
— 🌃 (@taybiIIionaire) 15 September 2024
More NFL!
Will Levis derailed a Titans drive when he inexplicably dropped the ball in the red zone on a pointless shovel pass
Why are there brown spots all over the Commanders’ field during the Giants game in Week 2?
Fantasy football injury report, Week 2: Who could be there and who couldn’t, including AJ Brown?
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 49ers fans couldn’t believe a referee was faster than their secondary on Justin Jefferson’s 97-yard touchdown catch
