The NFC Championship Game featured a head-to-head matchup between two of the league's best wideouts. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua engaged in a receiving duel for the ages, combining for 19 receptions, 318 yards and two scores. Smith-Njigba capped a remarkable season with a clutch performance that helped send the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
But according to Jerry Rice, the NFL’s top wideout wasn’t on the field last Sunday. During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Rice was asked who he believes is currently the game’s best receiver. And his answer will cheer up Minnesota Vikings fans after a difficult season.
“I still gotta go with Justin Jefferson. Even though he hasn’t had a quarterback, this guy can do it all. He can stretch the field. He can out jump you. He’s not afraid to go across the middle,” Rice said, per NFL on ESPN. “There are some great receivers out there but I would still put him as No. 1.”
Jerry Rice names Vikings star Justin Jefferson the NFL’s top wideout
Despite significant growing pains in JJ McCarthy’s first season as the Vikings starting quarterback, Jefferson still managed to impress. The four-time All-Pro caught 84 passes for 1,048 yards – his sixth straight 1,000-yard season.
Jefferson now has more receiving yards in his first six seasons than any player in NFL history, including Rice. However, his 1,048 yards and two touchdowns in 2025 were career lows. Due to McCarthy’s struggles under center, Jefferson recorded fewer receiving yards through 17 games this season than he had in just 10 games during the 2023 campaign (1,074).
While the former first-round pick publicly backed McCarthy throughout his turbulent debut, Minnesota can’t afford to waste another year of Jefferson’s prime with suboptimal quarterback play.
Despite the drop-off from Sam Darnold to McCarthy, Jefferson still performed at an elite level. And Rice gave him the edge over Ja’Marr Chase. The Cincinnati Bengals’ star wideout was named first-team All-Pro this season. He finished fourth in the league with 1,412 receiving yards, trailing only Smith-Njigba, Nacua and George Pickens.
While either Jefferson or Chase have a legitimate argument for top receiver honors, Rice went with the Vikings’ standout. And Rice would know. He’s not only considered the greatest wide receiver in NFL history but the second-best football player of all-time.
