Justin Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy might play for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL, but that hasn’t stopped them from keeping both eyes on the NBA. With the NBA playoffs in full swing, seemingly everyone in the NFL world is at least keeping one eye on the tournament.
Jefferson and McCarthy took the time to hop in the car, drive to the playoff showdown between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors. They also reached out to the players in the game, with the interactions caught on video.
Justin Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy Deliver Mic’d Up Message to Stephen Curry
In a video posted on X by Dov Kleiman on May 16, both Jefferson and McCarthy are seen sitting courtside and shaking hands with players, including Stephen Curry.
This is awesome: Vikings QB JJ McCarthy and WR Justin Jefferson were Mic'd Up courtside at the Warriors vs. Timberwolves playoff game.
A duo to keep an eye on for years to come. pic.twitter.com/kCbBezZAc5
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman)
“Always respect, dawg. It’s greatness, dawg. Greatness,” Jefferson said to Curry.
After Curry walked away, McCarthy took it one step further.
“Greatest of all-time,” McCarthy said.
“Word,” Jefferson agreed.
Of course, the Warriors went on to lose to the Timberwolves, but that didn’t take away from the reputation Curry continues to cultivate with his play as he continues to get deeper into his 30s.
The two also had a friendly message for Timberwolves center and power forward Naz Reid, shaking his hand and cheering him on as well.
Jefferson Betrays Potential Hint for Trick Play in the Works
While speaking with McCarthy, Jefferson explained how it was as a receiver to attempt to catch left-handed passes in a thread that hints at something else in the works for the Vikings quarterback.
Speaking courtside in the video after a Timberwolves player delivered a basketball shot, Jefferson used it as an example to explain his opinion on left-handed quarterback throws.
“That’s how I feel about quarterbacks that throw with their left. It’s so different, bro. It even makes a difference for us.”
There wasn’t any context given, but it appeared to be a continuation of a conversation the two might have had previously. McCarthy is a right-handed quarterback, which suggests the two might have experimented with left-handed throws in the past.
Of course, no-look and left-handed throws are tricks seemingly every quarterback is looking to master, so there’s a decent chance McCarthy might have quietly explored it since joining the NFL.
The tone of the conversation also suggested that the left-handed throw trial didn’t go perfectly, with perhaps a drop from Jefferson in practice as a result.
Put simply, defenses now have a reason to keep an eye out for any designed or improvised left-handed throws in the regular season, perhaps in a do-or-die scenario.