Van Jefferson

Van Jefferson's Biography

Vanchi LaShawn Jefferson Jr., widely known as an accomplished American professional football wide receiver, was born on July 26, 1996. His journey in the National Football League (NFL) has seen him play for several teams, ultimately landing him today with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hailing from Brentwood, Tennessee, young Jefferson grew up with an undeniable love for football evident in his early years at Ravenwood High School. As a junior, he showcased his skills by completing 87 passes on his way to an impressive 1,251 yards and 14 touchdowns. His senior year also turned heads when he earned himself the first team All-State title, having recorded 67 receptions over 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Jefferson, determined to harness his talents in college football, initially committed to Georgia. However, in a dramatic turn of events in January of his senior academic year, Jefferson switched his commitment from Georgia to Ole Miss, shunning offers from prestigious varsities such as Michigan, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

2015 saw Jefferson redshirting as a pure freshman in Ole Miss. The following year, the redshirt freshman displayed commendable prowess, scoring 49 catches to accumulate a total of 543 yards and three touchdowns. His redshirt sophomore season saw him finish with 42 receptions spanning 456 yards, culminating in a touchdown. After the 2017 season, however, Jefferson changed lanes by announcing his decision to depart Ole Miss after the program was hit by sanctions from the NCAA. He chose to continue building his college football career at Florida.

Upon his transfer, Jefferson was granted immediate eligibility to play for Florida thanks to waivers received from the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). His first season in 2018 with the Gators saw him leading the team with 35 receptions covered in 503 yards and six touchdown receptions. He embarked on a remarkable senior year with 49 passes over 657 yards and six touchdowns. In the 2019 Orange Bowl, he presented a dazzling performance against Virginia with six passes on 129 yards, marking the last game of his college career.

With a formidable collegiate record of 175 receptions over 2,159 yards and 16 touchdowns in 45 games, Jefferson moved on to the major leagues. He was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 57th overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams.

Jefferson’s rookie year in the NFL was marked by an important event in Week 11 of the 2020 season – he recorded his first professional receiving touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Besides, his noteworthy performance in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers saw him make 6 catches for 46 yards and his first playoff touchdown, even though the Rams lost the match 32–18.

The He blossomed as a notable NFL player in 2021, playing under the Rams’ new quarterback Matthew Stafford and compensating for the season-ending injury of Robert Woods. His performance in the regular season, which concluded with 50 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns, culminated in Jefferson etching his name in the annals of Super Bowl champions. He helped the Rams clinch Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on a scoreline of 23–20 but was subsequently placed on injured reserve on September 24, 2022.

Despite his injury, Jefferson returned to the game on October 24, 2022, creating a phenomenal moment on December 8, 2022. He caught the game-winning touchdown pass from the newly signed quarterback Baker Mayfield, culminating in a convenient defeat against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nonetheless, the journey had its fair share of winding roads as Jefferson was traded to the Atlanta Falcons on October 10, 2023. He played a total of 12 games for the Falcons, accumulating 12 receptions for 101 yards and nil touchdowns.

Despite a slower start with the Falcons, he had a significant uptick in participatory offensive snaps in the following two weeks. He eventually averaged 39% of offensive snaps for the remainder of his tenure.

A new chapter opened in his professional career on March 18, 2024, when he signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Off the field, Jefferson comes from a lineage of football as the son of Shawn Jefferson, wide receiver coach for the New York Jets and former wide receiver himself. Jefferson leads a happy family life with his wife, Samaria, and their four children. Notably, their second son was born on February 13, 2022, when Jefferson was in the throes of Super Bowl LVI.