Jaxon Smith-Njigba Eyes 2028 Olympics, Names an All-Time Great As Dream Teammate

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba wants to play in the 2028 Olympics and named a few potential teammates he’d like to play with. He included one huge name as a possibility.
During Super Bowl LX Opening Night on Monday, the Seahawks wide receiver was asked if he’d like to play on the United States’ flag football team at the Summer Olympics in 2028. He said he would, before being asked who his ideal teammate would be. One of his answers was eye-opening.
“I think playing with Garrett Wilson would be fun. A lot of my Ohio State Buckeyes would be cool,” Smith-Njigba said. “I think Tom Brady, you know, him coming back, maybe. That would be awesome.”
That would certainly be big news.
The 2028 Olympics will open on July 14, 2028. Tom Brady will be a month from turning 51, so if he did play it’s safe to say that would be a huge story.
The NFL has approved player participation in flag football at the 2028 Olympics, but it is unclear how the rosters would be structured. The sport is 5-on-5 and features 10-player rosters.
The United States won both the men’s and women’s world championships in 2024. The Americans are five-time defending world champions on the men’s side, and the women have won three in a row. Quarterback Darrell Doucette has led the U.S. to each of the last two world titles and has been vocal in his opposition to NFL players getting spots on the team.
With only 10 spots available on the team, the push to earn spots will be fascinating to watch. Several NFL players have expressed interest in representing their country, and the competition could be fierce.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba career stats
It has only taken three seasons for Smith-Njigba to become a star in the NFL. Seattle selected him with the 20th pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and he quickly became a Pro Bowler.
As a rookie in 2023, Smith-Njigba had 63 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns. In his second year, he exploded.
During the 2024 campaign, Smith-Njigba hauled in 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. He was named to his first Pro Bowl and began to establish himself as one of the best wideouts in the NFL.
This season, the 23-year-old had 119 receptions for an NFL-best 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was made his second Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro. Through two postseason games, he has 13 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith-Njigba is a cornerstone of the Seahawks’ offense. He has helped lead the way as they went 14-3 and earned the top seed in the NFC, then topped the 49ers and Rams in the playoffs to earn a spot in Super Bowl LX. The Patriots will have to slow him down if they hope to win on Sunday.
If the Olympics were to be held this summer, it would be difficult to leave Smith-Njigba off the team. Along with Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase, he’d have the best argument to take one of the receiver spots.
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Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.
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