Seattle Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a major step forward this season, firmly establishing himself as the team’s go-to receiver. His breakout campaign also justified the front office’s confidence in him after they dealt DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason.
Smith-Njigba racked up 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns across 17 games, according to StatMuse. He’s carried that form into the postseason as well, hauling in 13 catches for 172 yards and two scores in two games during the 2025 playoffs.
His emergence as Seattle’s top option hasn’t gone unnoticed around the league. Fellow players have taken note of his rise, with Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby offering glowing praise for the Seahawks’ young standout.
“I feel that JSN is unreal,” Crosby said in a Jan. 28 video from The Rush Podcast. “He’s had a crazy year, bro. He’s been going nuclear, and clearly they knew in that front office how good he was by letting DK go and Tyler Locket go, and just seeing him explode into being that number one receiver that clearly they saw him being. You got to give them a lot of credit, too.”
Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba Talks Reaching Super Bowl
Smith-Njigba delivered a standout performance against the Los Angeles Rams, finishing with 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. In a fiercely contested matchup, Seattle’s biggest names rose to the occasion with everything on the line.
Following the victory, the Seahawks receiver spoke to FOX Sports and reflected on his display, with Seattle now just one win away from lifting the Super Bowl.
“I told my team, ‘I’m going to do whatever it takes. Whatever you all ask for me, I’m going to get it done. Whatever that might be,’” Smith-Njigba said postgame. “And that’s what you saw today. You just saw grit, determination. You saw passion out there, and you saw a group, a collective, going out there and getting the job done.”
Sam Darnold Earns Praise From Joe Montana
Still, Smith-Njigba isn’t the only Seahawk being celebrated after a remarkable season that has ended with a Super Bowl berth. Quarterback Sam Darnold has also earned widespread praise — not just for his strong performance in the NFC Championship win over the Los Angeles Rams, but for how he’s rewritten the story of his career.
After his departure from the New York Jets, Darnold spent years carrying the stigma of being labeled a bust. That narrative began to soften during his stint with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, before fully flipping following an impressive 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings.
Now, the former USC standout looks far more like a player enjoying a second chapter than a cautionary tale. Darnold joined the Seahawks last season, and the partnership has paid off immediately — with a Super Bowl appearance in his very first year in Seattle.
During a Jan. 27 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” 49ers legend Joe Montana shared his thoughts on Darnold’s turnaround.
“I’m all for Sam Darnold,” Montana said. “The things that he’s been through, the places that he’s played, the games that he’s won, even here in San Francisco before he got to Minnesota. I mean, come on.
“I saw the stat the other day on Sunday. He’s won 28 games in the last two teams he was with, and he’s now getting another chance here, and he’s doing the same thing. And I’m pulling for him. I’m an NFC guy most of the time anyway, but I’m all about Sam. He’s a good guy, good player, and I’m happy for him.”
