What is the definition of greatness? Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt once said, “Greatness is playing great when greatness is required… Being a great player is you are great when that is the minimal amount required to succeed.”
With the Minnesota Vikings trailing the Buffalo Bills 27-23 with 2:00 minutes left in the game and facing 4th-and-18 from their own 27 yard line, greatness was the minimal amount required to succeed. The stage was now set for Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson to step up.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins dropped back and targeted Jefferson. Cousins let the ball go but it appeared to be sailing over Jefferson’s head. Jefferson leaped as high as possible, stretched his right arm into the air, snatched the ball away from Bills cornerback Cam Lewis who was draped all over him, and then landed on the ground while cradling the ball with one hand. When you consider the difficulty of the catch and stakes in the game which it took place, many pundits consider it the greatest catch in NFL history.
The following are 6 Leadership Lessons From Justin Jefferson’s Greatest Catch Of All-Time:
Greatness Never Happens In Ideal Circumstances
Cousins was sacked on third down and likely rattled. The offensive line was struggling. The Vikings were playing a great Bills team in a hostile environment. The entire stadium knew the fourth down pass would be going to Jefferson so the Bills double-teamed the star wideout. This was not going to be easy. Greatness never is.
Greatness Usually Happens By Design
Greatness rarely happens by default, but rather by design. You usually don’t back in to greatness. Jefferson said in a post-game news conference, “Before we left the huddle Kirk said to me, ‘Hey, I might just throw it up to you.’ Kirk knew. We just needed to make something happen.” The plays design was to have the ball go to its best player.
Greatness Is The Result Of Years Of Hard Work
Greatness is not for novices. It is reserved for those who have put in the work. Greatness smells like sweat. It’s developed when no one is watching. It takes time and effort. Jefferson said, “I felt how close (Bills cornerback Cam Lewis) was. I knew it was going to be a battle for the ball. On plays like that, I don’t remember exactly what happened. But I’m going up, I’m going to fight for the ball. That’s my ball. Since ninth grade, those are the balls I think I should catch.”
Greatness Is The Result Of Trust
Jefferson concluded his thoughts by saying, “I’m just happy Kirk trusted me and put the ball up for me to catch.” This is an insightful statement. Cousins could have thrown the pass to any number of professional athletes on the field but there was one whom he trusted to make the play more than any of his teammates – Justin Jefferson. The people in your organization must be willing to trust you with those moments when greatness is the minimal amount required to succeed.
Greatness Does Not Guarantee Success
This will likely become a trivia question. Who ultimately scored a touchdown on the drive in which Justin Jefferson had the greatest catch in NFL History? The answer will be no one. In fact, they did not kick a field goal either. The Vikings would eventually turn the ball over on downs after a goal line stand by the Bills.
Incredibly, Justin Jefferson’s catch did not lead to any points. Your individual greatness does not guarantee organizational success.
Greatness Comes At High Cost
Just know, if you want to achieve greatness it will not come easily. You are going to have to consistently put in years of hard work and preparation. Despite your best plans, the circumstances will not be ideal. But if you have earned the trust of others, the ball might come your way. And if even if you make the catch and achieve greatness, it does not guarantee success.
So do you really want to achieve greatness? Because few are willing to pay the price.
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