MINNEAPOILIS -- As he walked through the locker room Sunday evening, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell stopped to chat with receiver Justin Jefferson. He threw his arm around Jefferson's shoulders, leaned in closely and spoke a few encouraging words into his ear.
It was the kind of conversation no coach wants to have. O'Connell's star player left Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after a fourth-quarter injury to his right hamstring, and it's a worrisome turn of events for a team that runs its entire offense through him.