Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson may be the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, but that doesn’t mean he’s splurging on extravagant real estate.
As revealed in the ongoing Netflix series “Receiver,” Jefferson was living in a modest Minneapolis-area townhouse during the show’s 2023 production.
Despite signing a lucrative four-year, $140 million deal that pays him $35 million annually – more than any other wideout in football – the 25-year-old is in no rush to spend his growing fortune on a new estate. He explained his frugality to reporters upon his arrival at training camp this week.
“I’m one person, I ain’t got no big family,” said Jefferson, who is the father of a baby girl. “I don’t need to be in no $10 million mansion; that’s not something I came from. I grew up with parents that were grateful for what they had, and I was grateful for what I grew up with. I never grew up having no big old house. Maybe I’ll move onto that, maybe not. I guess we’ll find out sooner or later.”
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Jefferson hails from Louisiana, where he became a standout player for LSU’s football team. His parents, John and Elaine Jefferson, frequently appear in the Netflix series, highlighting their supportive role in his life.
“Receiver,” an NFL Films project, follows five pass catchers from around the NFL during the 2023 season: Jefferson, Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, his teammate receiver Deebo Samuel, and Detroit Lions star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. The series is a sequel to a similar NFL Films project titled “Quarterback,” which provided a behind-the-scenes look at players like Patrick Mahomes II.
One of the highlights of “Receiver,” according to Jefferson, is the trash talk captured while he was mic’d up during games. “I feel like everybody’s favorite clip is the Detroit game when I was talking a little smack and just playing my ball,” Jefferson said, as quoted by Minneapolis’ Fox 9. “Just for people to see the inside, really behind the scenes of how we talk in game-like situations, the emotions and competitive spirit, people actually got to see that.”
Off the field, Jefferson’s personal life has also been in the spotlight.
Earlier this month, a New Jersey family court judge confirmed that Jefferson is the father of a baby girl. Judge Aldo J. Russo’s order on June 26 stated that an “interim child support obligation” had been agreed upon between Jefferson and the child’s mother, Andrea Galea.
It was previously reported in February that Galea accused Jefferson of pressuring her to abort the child after she became pregnant in 2023. Jefferson’s attorney declined to comment on the accusation at that time.
Galea decided to have the child and gave birth to baby Stella in December, according to her paternity lawsuit.
In their counterclaims filed in January, both Jefferson and Galea requested paternity testing. Galea also sought financial support and healthcare coverage from Jefferson. Judge Russo’s order established a framework for recent visits, required both parents to maintain contact about the child, and allowed for FaceTime conversations between Jefferson and his young daughter as she and her mother traveled to Italy.
Galea, a University of Miami Law School graduate who previously attended LSU with Jefferson, became romantically involved with him in 2019. They drifted apart and reconnected in April 2023, which is when Galea claims Jefferson fathered her daughter.
In his January filing, Jefferson demanded an injunction preventing Galea from sharing information about the child on social media. Although Galea remains active on social media, her Instagram page has not featured a photo of Stella since May 5.
Since being drafted 22nd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson has been a dominant force for the Vikings.
He has averaged 98.3 receiving yards per game, the best in NFL history, and has already earned three Pro Bowl selections. Jefferson was also named Offensive Player of the Year in 2022, solidifying his status as one of the league’s elite receivers.
