Matt Calkins: Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba shows he's a team player after big year

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Aug 15, 2026

Published in Football

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RENTON, Wash. — Words aren't something you can wear on your finger or place on your mantel, but sometimes they can be as meaningful as any award or accolade. And Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba received some awfully kind ones during training camp.

On Tuesday's episode of "Hard Knocks," Seattle receivers coach Frisman Jackson praised the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Not for his hands, but rather his humility.

“Jax, he’s just a fun dude to coach, man,” Jackson said. “Like you wouldn’t know that he’s gotten the things he’s gotten just the way he acts and goes about his business. … Like he’s the only No. 1 wideout I’ve been around where you can challenge him and he ain’t taking it personal."

It would be very easy for Smith-Njigba to play the "Do you know who I am?" card when it comes to getting criticism. He's a Super Bowl winner who earned a first-team All-Pro nod after having the greatest receiving season in Seahawks history. But success is fleeting. Ask someone like Cal Raleigh. What you did once has no bearing on what you'll do next.

So JSN is open to any and all coaching advice. Regression, for him, is not an option.

"Having answers is key to being successful in this league," Smith-Njigba said when asked about teams studying for him. "So just making sure we have answers for any look we might get.”

As teams have figured out, JSN is a problem. Last season he accumulated a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards while catching 10 touchdowns passes. And he doesn't put up these numbers due to peerless speed and explosiveness. He does it by outsmarting defenders while showcasing world-class body control.

We've seen him box out defensive backs en route to posting six points. This training camp he's had catches in which he decelerates mid-route before going to an all-out sprint. This helped him beat fellow 2023 first-round draft pick Devon Witherspoon on a go route earlier in the week. Witherspoon wasn't happy about it.

“The way he runs routes is so elusive, and it's hard to get a tell on what he's about to do. He’s able to create separation, he runs routes fluently, efficiently," Witherspoon said. "The way he can track the ball in the air is one of none. He can do everything. He can run any route, he makes contested catches. He’s going to have a big year again this year. I’m waiting to see that, too.”

It's hard to say the 20th pick of the draft "came out of nowhere," but I doubt many expected JSN to have the kind of season he did last year. He was essentially a complement to DK Metcalf in his first two seasons in Seattle, and how big of a contributor he'd be after DK was traded was unknown.

Turns out that he may very well be the best receiver in the NFL, but it's incredibly rare for the pass-catchers to put up back-to-back seasons like JSN did. Of the 15 greatest receiving seasons in NFL history, only Tyreek Hill's name shows up twice. So Smith-Njigba keeps grinding, knowing an All-Pro year is the furthest thing from a guarantee.

One adjustment he made is his route-running, particularly when it comes to new terminology introduced in the playbook. He said on "Hard Knocks" that he has to reset his memory and essentially forget what he's been doing over the past three years.

“We’re going to continue to grow in the space of putting plays down and routes. Right now, it’s been kind of basic, just want to get the fundamentals and the basics of our offense down, and that’s what we’ve seen a lot," JSN said. "As we progress through camp, you see a little bit more, and I’m excited. I’m excited to run new routes, be creative and brainstorm with the great offensive minds that we have."

Last year's Seahawks were known primarily for their "Dark Side, defense, which led the league in points allowed. What might get forgotten sometimes is that they also set a franchise record for points scored. The connection between quarterback Sam Darnold and Smith-Njigba was the primary reason.

So can JSN repeat what he did last year? Hard to say. But if he doesn't, it will have nothing to do with complacency. He may very well be the best player on this team, but he knows how fickle that title can be.