Seattle Seahawks star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba hasn’t had the best luck with awards this offseason.
From the incident at the NFL award show to the league accidentally donning him the Defensive Player of the Year, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year may want to do with any hardware not named the Lombardi Trophy. Despite the turmoil, the universe will get one more chance to redeem itself at the ESPYs, ESPN’s annual award show, where Smith-Njigba is nominated for the “Best NFL Player Award.”
The nomination should come as no surprise, considering Smith-Njiba’s 2025 season was as good as we’ve ever seen from a Seahawks wide receiver. JSN’s 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns propelled Seattle to its second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, shattering the team’s record for catches in a single season.
Smith-Njigba is one of four nominees for the award, joined by Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, new Ram Myles Garrett, and the Super Bowl runner-up quarterback Drake Maye.
The Seahawks as a whole are also up for the “Best Team Award,” putting their resume up against the champions from every major sports league and various collegiate champions. Seattle’s 2025 championship run included a 14-3 season, where they won the NFC West before running the table against two division rivals in the playoffs and getting their revenge against the New England Patriots in the biggest game of them all.
NFL teams have taken home three of the last five Best Team Awards, including the most recent, which went to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Seahawks are set to line up against some spectacular stories, including the Indiana Hoosiers’ college football title, and have to overcome the East Coast bias toward the New York Knicks if they want to win the award.
While I doubt the Seahawks are putting much stake in the outcome, it’s always fun for fans to have another night to brag. The ESPYs will take place on July 15 and be hosted by Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez.
