MOBILE, Ala. — There were moments when the kid didn’t know when the work would end.
He loved basketball more than anything, but there he was, running routes on a football field. His father was pushing him hard, teaching lessons that he never truly understood until years later.
Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson smiles at the memory, appreciative of the man who offered so much help through the years. Time has provided perspective. He cherishes those hours with his old man now more than ever.
Shawn Jefferson tried to do what most fathers do for their children: Instill a work ethic that will last a lifetime.
It didn’t matter that his namesake — Vanchii LaShawn Jefferson Jr. — preferred hoops over football at that time. Hard work was universal. It didn’t matter if his boy ultimately followed the same path that he did.
But putting in maximum effort to achieve your goals was non-negotiable. How else could you explain a ninth-round pick like Shawn carving out a 13-year NFL career?
“He taught me everything that I know about football,” Van tells the Daily News about his father, who played for the Chargers, Patriots and Falcons.
Long before Shawn Jefferson became the Jets wide receivers coach, he was the ultimate undersized underdog hanging with the big boys. His son has a chance to do the same.
Van Jefferson, who earned the South team’s Wide Receiver of the Week award during Senior Bowl practices in the run-up to the game on Saturday (where he had two catches), is a projected mid-round pick in the upcoming draft. NFL talent evaluators are impressed with his route running and quickness. Although the 6-2, 197-pound Jefferson admittedly is hoping to improve his long speed, he’s hardly slow.
“He’s got good hands,” says Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who coached Jefferson this week. “He’s an aggressive catcher. He’s got good suddenness. He’s really good out of the top of his routes. Out of his breaks. He’s one of the receivers that’s jumped out and been really productive out here on the field.”
“He understands techniques and leverages and how to use those to your advantage,” Callahan continues. “Then he’s got the ability to separate at the top… His ability to separate and suddenness is what I think is going to make him a really good player.”
Jefferson had 84 receptions for 1,160 yards and 12 touchdowns in two seasons at Florida after transferring from Ole Miss. His father set a foundation from a young age, taking his son to the practice facilities of all his places of employment.
Shawn Jefferson’s second act after catching 470 passes for 7,023 yards in the NFL included coaching stops with the Lions, Titans, Dolphins and Jets.
Shawn and Van worked together at each place.
“He coached me hard,” Van says. “I remember a lot of times we’d go to the facility and he’d just work me for hours. Just catching balls. Doing footwork. Now that I look back on it, I’m glad that we got those sessions in and we did that.”
Father and son may share a work ethic, but their personalities couldn’t be more different, according to Van. Shawn is never bashful to say what’s on his mind. Van is “more mellow.”
Shawn’s social media presence these days reads like a one-man Van Jefferson P.R. firm. Whether it’s posting videos of Van getting his diploma last month or showing off the most recent piece of hardware for being a standout at Senior Bowl practices this week, it’s impossible not to know how Shawn feels about his son.
“He’ll say, ‘I’m proud of you. I’m proud of what you’re doing,'” Van says. “That makes me feel good that my dad cares. He was always watching my games, always calling me, ‘Hey, you should have done this better.’ My dad has been very helpful. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done.”
It’s a fun time for the Jefferson family. The pre-draft process can be overwhelming if you let it be, but Shawn’s presence has made it easier for his son.
“He wants me to enjoy myself,” Van says. “He wants me take it all in. This is my first time doing this. My first experience. So, he just wants me to take it all in and enjoy it. If I have any questions for him, I’ll talk to him. My dad has been my mentor, someone I look up to. He’s my role model. So, everything he does, I try to model that.”
The comparisons between father and son are inevitable. Van was born when Shawn was still playing, but his memories of him on the field are vague. So, he’s watched old footage of his old man, highlighting that one day 18 years ago when Shawn caught nine passes from Michael Vick for 131 yards and a touchdown in a weird game that wound up a tie in Pittsburgh.
“I’m kind of better than him now,” Van says with a laugh. “He’ll tell you. He’ll say I’m better than him. But I’m trying to get where he was at. So hopefully one day that will happen.”
Van’s mother has dreamed about the possibility of the Jets drafting her son even if the receiver and coach haven’t.
“We really don’t bring it up,” Van says. “That’s my dad. Being coached by him officially would be amazing. So, whatever happens, happens. I’m just going out here trying to compete.”
No matter where Van Jefferson winds up, he’ll always compete. Today, tomorrow and every other day.
It’s Shawn Jefferson’s most important lesson to his son.
“He’s a hard worker,” Van says. “He’s going to provide for his family anyway he can. I love my dad, man. I love my dad.”
