Since the two were drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, both Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson have solidified themselves as some of the best the position has to offer. While one has already gone to the Super Bowl, the other is cementing himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in history.
However, before they were running roughshod over the league, the two formed an unstoppable duo at the collegiate level for the LSU Tigers. In a surprising anecdote, though, the superstar quarterback revealed that the two got into an occasional tiff.
Justin Jefferson and Joe Burrow Didn’t Always See Eye-to-Eye
Today, Burrow is a three-time Pro Bowler and has led his team to an AFC Championship Game victory in his short career. On the other hand, Jefferson already has four All-Pro nods, alongside an Offensive Player of the Year award in his collection.
But before their individual success in the NFL, the two were wreaking havoc for LSU. As Burrow walked away with the Heisman Trophy, he set the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes and led the nation in passing yards.
That same year, Jefferson led the NCAA in receptions and had 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns to his name. The two powered a legendary offense en route to a College Football Playoff National Championship.
But even with all of their highs together, it wasn’t always smooth sailing between them. Making an appearance at the Fanatics Fest 2026, which has taken over New York for a four-day extravaganza, Burrow made a unique confession.
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“I think Justin went two games without a touchdown, and he didn’t talk to me for the entire next week. I was like, ‘I’ll get you a touchdown, bro. You don’t have to pout all week on me.'”
After that brutal stretch, Burrow kept his word, and Jefferson responded with a five-week stretch where he had nine touchdowns, including three games over 100 yards, one of which was a season-high 227-yard showing in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Oklahoma.
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Since coming to the league, Jefferson hadn’t suffered any such problems, eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards every season. Last year, though, was a major blip in that regard. As J.J. McCarthy stood as far from a finished product, the four-time Pro Bowler put up career-lows with 1,048 yards and just two touchdowns.
To put it in perspective, his previous lows in both categories were 1,074 receiving yards and five touchdowns, which came during a year in which he only played 10 games in total, as opposed to the full 17-game quota in 2025.
As a result, rumors of a potential trade continue to circulate. While he might not be directly saying anything, it seems like Jefferson is back to a similar style that he followed with Burrow during that stretch.
