Jaxon Smith-Njigba sets Seahawks record for yards receiving in single season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba got another game ball Sunday, something the Seattle wide receiver probably hasn’t gotten quite enough this season.

“Honestly he probably could get one every game,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “What is this? Eight in a row, eight games with 100-plus? Yeah, he’s a tremendous football player.”

The third-year wide receiver keeps finding ways to outdo himself.

On Sunday, Smith-Njigba had a season-high 167 yards receiving along with two touchdowns, and the NFL leader in receiving yards also set the franchise single-season receiving mark in a 30-24 win over the Tennessee Titans.

“He’s doing an incredible job, brings it every day and he’s a great teammate, which is awesome,” Macdonald said. “So you’re really happy for him.”

Smith-Njigba knew coming into Sunday that he was close to DK Metcalf’s franchise mark of 1,303 yards receiving in 2020 after eclipsing his own career best from 2024 through the first 10 games.

Now Smith-Njigba has the franchise record at 1,313 yards with six games to pad his totals for the Seahawks (8-3).

“It means a lot,” Njigba-Smith said of his record. “This is a great organization, and great receivers have come through here. Honestly, I look at it as a team award, because, without Sam, without the protection, without Sheed (Rashid Shaheed) and Coop (Cooper Kupp), this doesn’t happen.”

The 20th pick overall out of Ohio State in 2023 also has room to move up the NFL’s single-season charts and currently is on pace to challenge Calvin Johnson’s mark of 1,964 in 2012 for Detroit.

“It’s unbelievable, man. Just the way that he’s been able to play this year,” Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold said of his favorite receiver. “Every single game. It’s tough to be that consistent, but it starts with his attitude and the prep that he puts in throughout the week.”

Smith-Njigba also moved into some exclusive NFL company with 86 yards receiving by halftime.

That gave him his 11th straight game with at least 75 yards receiving. He trails only Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison (14 in 2002) and Kupp (13 in 2001) for most such games in a single season in NFL history.

Kupp said Njigba-Smith is productive even when the Seahawks aren’t throwing the ball a bunch.

“Every opportunity he has to make a play, he’s doing it,” Kupp said. “That’s hard to do in this league. Everyone knows the passing game is obviously going to be going through him and he just continues to make plays and it’s a pretty impressive to watch.”

Smith-Njigba also provided a big offensive spark with his first catch, a 63-yard TD catch on a pass from Darnold. That TD put Seattle ahead to stay after a 3-3 first quarter, and Smith-Njigba added a 13-yard TD catch following a 56-yard reception.

Titans interim coach Mike McCoy called Smith-Njigba one of the best in the business. He worked with Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in Denver and has talked with him about how special the wide receiver is.

“You don’t see many guys like that make some of those conversions in tight great coverage,” McCoy said. “It’s like, where else do you want the defender to be? And here he is making those plays. But a very explosive player.”

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