Field Gulls
Having secured the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, the Seattle Seahawks are in the NFC Divisional Round for the first time since 2019. The Seahawks are in the midst of one of the best seasons in franchise history, surpassing 13 wins for the first time ever.
These achievements would not have been possible without the efforts of star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sam Darnold’s top target and the league leader in receiving yards. Last season was evidently a sign of things to come for JSN, who finished his second year in the NFL with 100 receptions and 1,130 yards over 17 games. Only Tyler Lockett had reached the century mark for Seattle, catching exactly 100 passes back in 2020.
Smith-Njigba’s 2025 season was even better than his 2024 campaign—and that’s putting it lightly. At one point in the year, JSN was on pace to break Calvin Johnson’s record of 1,964 receiving yards in a season, which was first set back in 2012. This was truly a historic run, one that will be fondly remembered in the Emerald City for years to come.
As Seattle entered into a three-way battle for the NFC West division lead, Smith-Njigba’s connection with Darnold rapidly became a vital part of the team’s offense. Over the first nine weeks of the season, JSN tallied 100 receiving yards six separate times and he nearly had a seventh 100-yard game in Week 3, ending with 96 yards vs. the New Orleans Saints. Through eight games, the 23-year-old wideout was averaging 7.3 receptions per game for 118.5 yards, on pace for over 2,000 yards on the year.
Unsustainable paces notwithstanding, Smith-Njigba was having an incredible season. Those who were paying attention to his play in 2024 could see that he was due for a breakout year, and with a new quarterback under center, JSN had a great chance to potentially reach the league’s upper echelon of receivers.
When he was frequently seeing playing time, Smith-Njigba made magic happen on the gridiron. From Weeks 5 through 9, JSN finished with at least 100 receiving yards every game, standing alone as the first Seahawks receiver to record 100 yards in four consecutive games. Seattle went 3-1 during this stretch, losing only to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5.
Smith-Njigba was not utilized as much for the remainder of the season, largely due to Seattle not needing him as urgently in blowout games. The third-year wideout caught just two passes in the Seahawks’ Week 13 game vs. the Minnesota Vikings, for instance, which ended in a 26-0 shutout for Seattle with four field goals and an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown.
That being said, JSN still had a few more tricks up his sleeve. In Week 12, Smith-Njigba achieved a season-high 167 receiving yards vs. the Tennessee Titans, tallying what would be his first of two games with multiple receiving TDs in 2025. Following the aforementioned Vikings game, JSN returned to his early-season form, racking up 31 receptions for 373 yards...
