Jaxon Smith-Njigba sends strong message to the NFL about his breakout year

Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be one of six players that the Seattle Seahawks send to the Pro Bowl this year. That may only be the beginning for JSN's 2025 trophy case, though.

With two games left to play, JSN currently has the best odds to win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, and he also has a strong case to earn first-team All-Pro honors.

If this wildly successful season for Smith-Njigba is coming as a bit of a surprise to you, you're not alone. JSN showed flashes of greatness during his first two seasons in the league but the explosive development he's shown this season is something nobody predicted coming in.

As for JSN himself, it sounds like he was fully aware of what he was capable of and has made it his mission to prove to everyone around the NFL that they have no idea what he can do.

JSN: 'I'm going to show you'

"They expected something, but I wanted to come back and really push the bar like 'Y'all don't really know what I'm capable of, but i'm going to show you.'" 👀

Jaxon Smith-Nijigba on knowing he was ready to be the #Seahawks featured receiver this year and the high standard he… pic.twitter.com/45iVcSfwTd
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) December 24, 2025

This energy is reminiscent of the greatest team sports competitor of our time. Like Michael Jordan, JSN has demonstrated the rare ability to exert his will on the outcome of the game, even though he's only one small piece of the 22-man puzzle.

It also brings to mind another Seahawks great who occasionally carried his team to a win. Free safety Earl Thomas was arguably the most-important part of Seattle's legendary Legion of Boom defenses, and his thousand-yard stare was a sign that he was fully locked in and capable of making anything happen on the field, bending the game to his will.

Here's a look at what JSN has done so far this season and where those numbers rank compared to the rest of the league's wide receivers.

JSN 2025 receiving stats

- 143 targets (ranks 6th)

- 104 receptions (ranks 5th)

- 1,637 receiving yards (ranks 1st)

- 15.7 yards per catch (ranks 6th)

- 10 touchdowns (tied for 3rd)

- 27 20+ yard receptions (tied for 1st)

- 113.7 yards per game (ranks 2nd)

- 490 yards after the catch (ranks 10th)

- 71 first downs (ranks 3rd)

- 93.2 PFF receiving grade (ranks 2nd)

- 126.31 Total EPA (ranks 3rd)

- 3.74 yards per route run (ranks 2nd)

Dec 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

JSN: 'I'm going to show you'

JSN 2025 receiving stats

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