Jaxon Smith-Njigba Named Sporting News 2025 Offensive Player of the Year After Breakout Season for Seahawks
The Sporting News Offensive Player of the Year award is starting to look a little different these days-and that’s a good thing. Once a quarterback-dominated honor, the OPOY has now gone to a non-QB for the fifth straight season. This time, it’s Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba who takes home the hardware, and frankly, it’s hard to argue against it.
Smith-Njigba becomes the first Seahawk to win the award since it was split into offensive and defensive categories in 2008. He also joins an elite club of Seattle greats, becoming only the second Seahawk ever to earn the honor after Shaun Alexander took home the overall SN Player of the Year award back in 2005.
Let’s break down why JSN’s 2025 campaign wasn’t just worthy of recognition-it was downright historic.
A Season for the Record Books
Smith-Njigba didn’t just emerge as Seattle’s top receiving option-he became one of the most dominant offensive forces in the league. With 119 receptions on 163 targets, he racked up a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards and found the end zone 10 times.
That’s an average of 15.1 yards per catch and over 105 yards per game. In a league where consistency is king, JSN delivered week in and week out, logging at least five catches and 72 yards in 16 of 17 games.
He wasn’t just padding stats-he was the engine of Seattle’s passing game, accounting for more than 42% of the team’s aerial production. That kind of target share and output is rare, especially for a receiver who stepped into the WR1 role following the offseason trade of DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh.
In Klint Kubiak’s revamped offense, Smith-Njigba thrived. He gave quarterback Sam Darnold a reliable, explosive target, helping Darnold settle in after his move from Minnesota. JSN’s ability to stretch the field, win in traffic, and create after the catch made him the focal point of a Seahawks offense that quietly became one of the league’s most efficient units.
Chasing Legends
At one point, Smith-Njigba looked like he might flirt with the elusive 2,000-yard mark-a feat only Calvin Johnson has achieved. While he ultimately fell short, he still ended the season with the eighth-highest single-season receiving yardage total in NFL history.
The names ahead of him? Calvin Johnson, Cooper Kupp, Julio Jones, Jerry Rice, Antonio Brown, Justin Jefferson, and Tyreek Hill.
That’s not just a list-that’s a Hall of Fame roll call.
And now, JSN joins that group in another way: as a wide receiver to win SN Offensive Player of the Year. He’s the first since Jefferson in 2022, and only the third since the award was split, joining Jefferson and Brown (2017).
Beating Out Elite Competition
This wasn’t a runaway award-it was earned in a season stacked with standout performances.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had a breakout second year, putting up MVP-caliber numbers. He led the league in completion percentage (72.0), passer rating (113.5), and yards per attempt (8.9), while throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns.
He added another 450 yards and 4 scores on the ground. Maye was spectacular-but in a year where quarterback play was strong across the board, JSN’s dominance as a receiver stood out even more.
Then there’s Christian McCaffrey, who once again did everything but walk on water for the 49ers. He led the league in touches (413), piled up 2,126 scrimmage yards, and scored 17 total touchdowns.
He was chasing history, too, trying to become the first player ever to record a second 1,000/1,000 season (rushing and receiving). He came close, but ultimately fell short.
In the end, Smith-Njigba’s impact on a 14-3 Seahawks team that won the NFC West by two games over both the Rams and McCaffrey’s 49ers proved decisive. Seattle didn’t have a roster full of household names, but JSN played like one every week-and the league noticed.
A New Era of Offensive Greatness
The shift away from quarterbacks in this award’s recent history is telling. Since 2021, the winners have all been non-QBs: Jonathan Taylor, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Saquon Barkley, and now Smith-Njigba. It’s a reminder that while quarterbacks still drive the league, elite playmakers at other positions are commanding the spotlight-and the respect that comes with it.
Smith-Njigba’s 2025 season wasn’t just big-it was defining. It cemented him as one of the league’s premier receivers and gave the Seahawks a new offensive identity in the post-Metcalf era. For a team that leaned on a run-heavy scheme but needed explosiveness through the air, JSN was the perfect answer.
And now, he’s got the hardware to prove it.
Sporting News Offensive Player of the Year Winners (2008-2025):
- 2025: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks
- 2024: Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
- 2023: Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins
- 2022: Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
- 2021: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
- 2020: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
- 2019: Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
- 2018: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
- 2017: Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
- 2016: Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
- 2015: Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
- 2014: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
- 2013: Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos
- 2012: Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings
- 2011: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
- 2010: Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
- 2009: Drew Brees, QB, Saints
- 2008: Drew Brees, QB, Saints
Smith-Njigba now joins that list-and if 2025 was just the beginning, the league better be ready for what’s next.