- Even NFL superstars like Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson aren’t immune to awkward moments. At the NFL Honors award show on February 7, Jefferson took the stage to deliver a heartfelt speech honoring Randy Moss and his battle with cancer. But just seconds into his remarks, Jefferson accidentally bumped the microphone with his hand, setting the stage for an even more cringe-worthy moment.
As Jefferson began speaking, the teleprompter froze, leaving him momentarily stranded without his script. “The prompter… the prompter, I’m sorry guys,” he said, visibly flustered, before the issue was resolved. With a laugh, he quipped, “Alright, that’s good, we gon’ start it over,” and restarted his speech, earning cheers and laughter from the audience.
NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt later praised Jefferson for how he handled the situation, arguing that the mishap only made him more likable. “You have the coolest-looking person ever, who is so charismatic… and he’s forced into reading the dumb teleprompter script that someone wrote, and he goes completely mechanical,” Brandt said on *Good Morning Football* on February 7. “And then, for whatever reason, after the first paragraph, no one scrolls the prompter or it freezes—dude, we’ve all been there, it’s paralyzing. And the fact that he not only hung in there, he made the audience like him more… Justin, I have never loved you more. I have never been more impressed by you.”
The clip of Jefferson’s teleprompter struggle quickly went viral, amassing over one million views on X (formerly Twitter) alone. It’s just another example of how Jefferson’s star continues to rise in the NFL. At just 25 years old (he turns 26 in June), Jefferson has already racked up an NFL-leading 7,432 receiving yards over the past five seasons. He’s now just 204 yards away from becoming the third all-time franchise leader in receiving yards, trailing only Cris Carter and Randy Moss.
Despite the technical hiccup, Jefferson ultimately delivered a touching tribute to Moss and the legendary receivers who paved the way before him, proving once again why he’s one of the league’s most beloved players.
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