Van Jefferson doesn’t want to disappoint himself, his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates or coaches as he did during a 2023 season that wasn’t up to par with expectations.
After five games that produced just 108 yards as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Jefferson was traded to the Atlanta Falcons, where he managed less production (101 yards) in nearly three times the games.
For Jefferson, this season is all about returning to form — perhaps more along the lines of his 2021 season when he put up a career-high 802 yards and six touchdowns, helping his team get to and win the Super Bowl.
Jefferson hopes to achieve that in Pittsburgh. Throughout training camp, the former second-round pick was peppered with questions about Brandon Aiyuk and faced media and fan scrutiny over whether he was the right man for the No. 2 wide receiver job.
One routine Jefferson has adopted to help him return to form is something he learned indirectly from former Steelers great Antonio Brown — becoming one with the Jugs machine. Brown used to catch 300 balls a day, so Jefferson has made it part of his post-practice routine in an effort to improve his pass-catching skills.
“I’m definitely hungry,” Jefferson told Mike DeFabo of “The Athletic.” “Definitely chomping at the bit to get this going.”
Jefferson has experienced the highs of winning a Super Bowl during a career year and the lows of injuries that prevented more. Now all Jefferson has to do is prove doubters wrong.
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