Lumen Field’s season opener had plenty of spotlight on it already, but one of the night’s early talking points came from NBC’s pregame show rather than the field. During the network’s NFL Kickoff coverage, Mike Tomlin got tangled up on Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s initials, repeatedly calling him “JNS” before Maria Taylor stepped in to straighten it out live.
“JSN, I’m not gonna let you do it again,” Taylor told Tomlin. “I’m not gonna let you do it again, JSN!”
Tomlin, making his first regular-season appearance as an NBC analyst after leaving the Steelers following 19 seasons, handled the correction in stride. His booth debut had already come earlier this year in the Hall of Fame Game back in August, and Wednesday marked just his second appearance with the network. NBC built its broadcast around the game, opening with a special pregame show featuring Taylor, Jason Garrett, Devin McCourty, Mike Florio and Tomlin on the panel.
Smith-Njigba has had his name turned into a running issue before. Comedian Druski took heat in February after badly botching the same name while presenting Smith-Njigba’s Offensive Player of the Year award at NFL Honors.
The game itself carried its own weight. The Seahawks raised their Super Bowl LX championship banner before hosting the Patriots in a rematch of February’s title game.
Smith-Njigba entered the season after signing a $168.6 million extension and coming off a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards a year ago. Sam Darnold is back at quarterback, and Seattle’s defense is built around All-Pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
New England brought a different set of headlines into the rematch. Drake Maye is leading a revamped offense that now includes three-time All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown, while All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez anchors the other side of the ball.
Tomlin’s name mix-up may have been the first hiccup of the night, but it’s unlikely to be his last NBC appearance. He’s expected to be a regular part of the network’s Sunday night coverage this season, and Taylor made it clear she’ll be paying attention if Smith-Njigba’s name comes up again.
In Other News...
Drake Maye Hit Could Leave Patriots Fans Wanting More After Loss
Drake Maye gave the Patriots a mixed afternoon in Seattle, moving the ball well enough to keep New England in striking range but also giving the Seahawks plenty of help along the way. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, yet the three interceptions and three sacks were enough to tilt a tight game that ended 13-10 in Seattles favor.
The sequence that drew the most attention came when Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a late hit on Maye, a play the NFL is now reviewing for possible further punishment. Maye stayed in the game after the hit, and while the Patriots left with another narrow loss, they now have a short week to reset before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Keep Targeting Seahawks Talent After Another Seattle Departure
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Cabeldue entered the league as a 2025 sixth-round pick and saw action in a small but useful sample last season, logging snaps at multiple spots along the offensive line. For Seattle, his departure is another reminder of how quickly late-round development projects can become roster casualties, while for the Raiders it continues a clear pattern of looking toward familiar Seahawks connections as they build out their depth. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Opener Chaos Turned A Tense Win Into Something Else
The NFL season opener at Lumen Field had enough on-field edge already, but the scene in the stands briefly stole the attention away from the Seahawks and Patriots. A dispute over seating escalated when a Patriots fan allegedly would not move from seats belonging to other spectators, and what began as an argument turned into a physical confrontation that drew in ushers, security and police before order was restored.
For a few tense minutes, the football game was secondary to the disruption above it, a reminder of how quickly a night at the stadium can veer off script. The fan was eventually handcuffed, and while the crowd settled back in, the incident lingered as one of the stranger moments of an opener that already had plenty of bite. [Read more 🡒]