Stephen A. Smith believes the Minnesota Vikings have not done enough to get the best out of Justin Jefferson. Smith questioned how O’Connell had allowed the quarterback situation to become such a problem, especially with Jefferson still waiting for consistent play under center.

Stephen A. Smith Questions Kevin O’Connell’s Handling of Justin Jefferson

Smith addressed the Vikings’ quarterback situation on ESPN’s “First Take” after the team acquired Cousins from the Raiders for a 2027 third-round pick on Tuesday. Cousins returns to Minnesota after more than two seasons away, reuniting with O’Connell as the team looks to improve its passing offense.

Much of Smith’s criticism, though, centered on Jefferson. He questioned the decisions that left the receiver playing with several different quarterbacks and pointed to his talent as a reason the Vikings should have done more to provide stability at the position.

“Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens. He has that kind of potential. When all is said and done, he could be one of those,” Smith said.

The analyst then questioned Minnesota’s decision to let Cousins walk in free agency and hand the offense to a series of different quarterbacks.

Since Cousins left in 2024, the Vikings have started Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer and Kyler Murray.

Smith also talked about O’Connell’s reputation as a coach who can develop quarterbacks. “What happened to the quarterback whisperer?” he asked.

His criticism became more direct when he turned to Jefferson’s declining production. Smith argued that O’Connell had not faced sufficient scrutiny regarding how the situation has affected the receiver.

“Kevin O’Connell, KO, has gotten away with a crime for what he has done to Justin Jefferson,” Smith said.

Jefferson’s numbers show how much his production has changed. He caught 128 passes for 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, when Cousins was his quarterback for the full season. He followed that with 103 receptions for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, despite the changes Minnesota made at quarterback.

The slump has been more noticeable since then. Jefferson finished the 2025 season with 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two touchdowns. Through seven games in 2026, he has recorded 31 receptions for 393 yards and four touchdowns. He currently has a 77.6 grade on PFN’s NFL WR Impact metric.

Minnesota’s recent loss to Buffalo only added to Smith’s questioning. In the Vikings’ 23-6 defeat, Wentz completed eight of 25 passes for 81 yards and committed three turnovers. Jefferson caught three of his 11 targets for 58 yards.

While Smith was critical of O’Connell’s earlier decisions, he supported the move to bring Cousins back.

“It’s Kirk Cousins. It ain’t Patrick Mahomes. It ain’t Josh Allen. We all know that. But damn it, at least you know you can throw the football, and then you have the potential to have some good Sunday afternoons,” Smith said.

Cousins spent six seasons in Minnesota from 2018 through 2023, including two years working directly with O’Connell. That familiarity should help him settle into the offense without having to learn a completely new system during the season.

He was also putting together a productive campaign in Las Vegas. In nine starts for the Raiders, Cousins threw for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a 97.1 passer rating.

Given his experience in Minnesota and his familiarity with O’Connell, the price was one the team was willing to pay, it seems.

Smith was optimistic that Cousins’ return could help Jefferson look more like the receiver Minnesota is accustomed to seeing, while noting that he had said in a separate First Take appearance that Jefferson should ask for a trade. Still, Cousins has a history of connecting with Jefferson, something Minnesota has struggled to find consistently since his departure.