Vikings' Wright has waited for moment in spotlight

For most of Sunday night, Jarius Wright had a constant companion.

In the aftermath of his game-winning touchdown reception at TCF Bank Stadium, the speedy third-year receiver lost track of the football. But after a Vikings staffer retrieved it for him, the two were practically inseparable all night.

When Wright chatted with reporters in the locker room, he had the football tucked under his arm.

"He might have showered with it," head coach Mike Zimmer said.

Back at home, as Wright flipped through the dozens of text messages and replayed the fondest moment of his football career over and over in his mind, the game ball sat in his lap.

"I kind of held it all last night," Wright said. "I kind of cuddled it and caressed it."

Which begged the question: Did Wright sleep with it, too?

"I didn't take it that far," Wright said with a grin.

No one would have blamed him if he had, though. Wright's 87-yard touchdown reception in overtime gave the Vikings a 30-24 win over the New York Jets and pulled the team within a game of .500. The highlight play also served as validation for the soft-spoken receiver, a 2012 fourth-round pick who has been waiting two-plus seasons for his opportunity to shine.

"Sometimes, it does get hard to be patient," Wright said. "You just have to believe in the coach's plan and believe that they're going to do the best things for you, and I believe that here. I think it's paid off."

As a rookie, Wright took a back seat to the likes of Percy Harvin, Michael Jenkins, Jerome Simpson and Devin Aromashodu and didn't get in on the action until Week 10.

In 2013, he saw the Vikings sign Greg Jennings and use a first-round pick to select Cordarrelle Patterson then finished fourth among wide receivers in playing time.

This summer, the 25-year-old battled Simpson in training camp for the third receiver spot but did not distinguish himself.

Things changed when Simpson, already serving a suspension to start the season, got booted off the team after his latest brush with the law, and rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater took over for veteran starter Matt Cassel, who shattered his foot.

In Bridgewater's first start, Wright made eight catches for a career-high 132 yards in a win over the Atlanta Falcons. Wright remained the third receiver, catching 15 passes over the next five games. A hamstring injury slowed him down in recent weeks. But he delivered in a big way Sunday.

Winning the race

Wright led the Vikings with 123 receiving yards on four catches, and his 87-yard catch-and-run gave the Vikings their second thrilling overtime win of the season.

Staring down an all-out blitz from the Jets before the snap, Bridgewater audibled to a screen pass to Wright, something the Vikings like to call at least once a week to get him free in space.

Wright leapt to catch the pass, cut sharply up the field and navigated between a couple of key blocks from Jennings and tight end Kyle Rudolph.

"Once he went up and got it and got through that first wave, I knew it was a walk-off touchdown because no one is touching Jarius," fullback Jerome Felton said.

Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson surprisingly was fairly close in pursuit as Wright ran down the right sideline. But Wright had the angle and wasn't about to lose that race.

"It's just great for him because he works real hard," Zimmer said. "Those are the kind of success stories you like to have, guys [stepping up] when they get the opportunity."

Unsung heroes

Wright became the third player to lead the Vikings in receiving in their past three games. But fellow wideout Charles Johnson had 103 receiving yards, too, giving the Vikings their first pair of 100-yard receivers since 2004, when Randy Moss and Nate Burleson did it in a win over the Detroit Lions.

Wright shook his head Monday when it was pointed out to him that just a few months ago Wright was near the bottom of the Vikings' depth chart and Johnson was on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad, where the Vikings found him in September.

"With this league, the biggest thing is opportunity, just the get the opportunity to go out there and play," Wright said.

But Wright, who is second on the team to Jennings with 32 catches and 478 receiving yards, knows he still has plenty to prove.

That's why he clung so tightly to the game ball of his dreams for most of Sunday night.

"I might never have this moment again," Wright said. "Because it doesn't happen too often."