The term G.O.A.T. has been thrown around far too much in today’s social media-driven world. For those who don’t know, the acronym G.O.A.T means greatest of all time. It should be an achievement given to a lone player. Someone who transcends the game and changes how we look at the position they play or the team they play for.
Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote an insightful piece on the players that we call the G.O.A.T at certain positions and the players that are playing today that have a chance to dethrone them.
He didn’t do every position. But out of the nine positions that Barnwell chose, one Minnesota Viking made the list. And we all know who it is.
Justin Jefferson, according to Barnwell, has the best chance to dethrone the G.O.A.T of wide receivers in Jerry Rice. Barnwell states that Jefferson has the best opportunity to break Rice’s receiving records, including his absurd 22,895 career receiving yards.
Why? Jefferson has time. He’s only 24. He’s already the focal point of O’Connell’s offense. It’s an offense that is quite advantageous to the number-one option. And, as Barnwell stated, he has that all-important 17th game in the season to work with. It’s all lining up for the former-LSU receiver to compete for those records and possibly overtake them.
Can he do it? Well, Barnwell states that the chances are slim. He would have to keep his stellar play up for 12 more years while staying healthy. That’s a tough ask for any player.
Plus, with how pass-happy the league is now, public opinion may disqualify Jefferson further. They may claim he had an “easier” or “more advantageous” path to the records.
The thought of it is incredible to think about, though. Players like Rice, Tom Brady, Tony Gonzalez, and everyone named in Barnwell’s article come once in a generation. How great would it be to see the emergence of another in Justin Jefferson? Another player worth the mantra of G.O.A.T at his position in purple and gold? That’s rarified air that we can only imagine.