Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson Selected as Week 5 NFLPA Community MVP

Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson Selected as Week 5 NFLPA Community MVP

Washington, D.C. — Justin Jefferson has been named the Week 5 NFLPA Community MVP after hosting his Strike Out Cancer bowling event and raising more than $45,000 for the American Cancer Society to support cancer research.  

“It’s an honor to be named the NFLPA Community MVP,” Jefferson said. “I’m grateful to everyone who supported our inaugural Strike Out Cancer event and continues to help us make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. I look forward to growing the event for years to come.”

The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver and his nonprofit, The JJets Foundation, hosted the charity bowling event, recognizing 25 cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. Joined by family members and Vikings teammates, Jefferson bowled, played games and heard firsthand from those affected by cancer. The event concluded with Jefferson gifting two Super Bowl LXI tickets to a young cancer survivor.  

As a newly named American Cancer Society Ambassador, Jefferson is committed to raising awareness and supporting cancer patients and survivors. In August, he surprised two childhood cancer survivors with custom-designed shoes inspired by his own cleats. The shoes featured both survivors’ names, with one written in Braille for a personal touch.

Since being drafted by the Vikings in 2020, Jefferson has made giving back to Minneapolis a priority. In 2021, as the city continued recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized a Thanksgiving Turkey Drive. His efforts later expanded into an annual holiday give-back event, providing families with shopping experiences and necessities during the holiday season.  

Over the past six years, Jefferson and his foundation have made a significant impact in Minnesota and his home state of Louisiana. Through initiatives such as his annual fashion show at Masonic Children’s Hospital, donating laptops to local schools in need and his free, youth summer football camps, the JJets Foundation has positively impacted more than 1,500 kids.  

In honor of Jefferson being named the Week 5 NFLPA Community MVP and to further support his off-field impact, the NFLPA will donate $10,000 to the JJets Foundation. Additionally, Jefferson and the rest of this season’s Community MVPs will be eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, which is the NFLPA’s highest player honor for outstanding community service and includes an additional $100,000 donation.  

For the second year in a row, the NFLPA is partnering with GoFundMe, the world’s leading fundraising platform, allowing fans to support players’ community efforts and through their selected nonprofits. To contribute to Jefferson’s JJets Foundation, please visit this donation page. All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly to the JJets Foundation.  

Back for its 13th season, the NFLPA’s award-winning Community MVP program serves as a driving force behind the union’s commitment to highlight the year-round civic outreach and community engagement of its player members. Community MVPs are selected by a committee of NFLPA staff that reviews the nominees submitted each week by players, agents, marketing representatives and NFL team staff.  Learn more about the NFLPA Community MVP program here.  

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About the NFL Players Association:  

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the NFL and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of protecting the health, safety and financial future of its more than 2,000 player members, who are the backbone of North America’s most popular and highest revenue-generating sport. Through a wide offering of programs, resources and engagement opportunities, the NFLPA provides world-class service to players throughout their career lifecycle and builds solidarity to advocate on their behalf in the areas of healthcare, revenue, compensation and working conditions. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at nflpa.com.