Jaxon Smith-Njigba just capped off a breakout season with one of the NFL’s highest honors - and he earned every bit of it.
On Thursday night, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver was named the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors ceremony, beating out a stacked group of finalists that included Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye. It’s a massive achievement for the second-year wideout, and it puts an exclamation point on what’s been a season to remember in Seattle.
Let’s talk about why Smith-Njigba walked away with the hardware - and why it wasn’t even a tough call.
A Season That Demanded Recognition
Smith-Njigba didn’t just have a good year - he had a historic one. He led the entire league with 1,793 receiving yards, a number that would be eye-popping in any era, let alone today’s hyper-competitive passing landscape.
But it wasn’t just the raw yardage. He accounted for a staggering 44.1% of Seattle’s total receiving yards - nearly half of the team’s aerial production ran through him.
That’s the kind of usage and impact usually reserved for the league’s elite.
Add in 119 catches and 10 touchdowns, and it’s clear Smith-Njigba wasn’t just eating - he was feasting every single week. He was the engine of Seattle’s offense, the go-to guy in every situation, and the matchup nightmare that defensive coordinators couldn’t solve.
This kind of dominance earned him his first career first-team All-Pro nod, and now, the OPOY trophy to match.
The Voting Breakdown
Smith-Njigba received 14 first-place votes and totaled 272 points in the final tally. Christian McCaffrey, who had another stellar season in San Francisco, finished second with 12 first-place votes and 223 points. Nacua - the Rams' breakout rookie - came in third with 170 points, followed closely by Bijan Robinson (168) and Drake Maye (58).
It’s worth noting that Matthew Stafford, widely considered a top MVP candidate, didn’t make the finalist list for this award, leaving many scratching their heads. But that just underscores what the OPOY has become in recent years: a recognition of non-quarterback excellence in a league where the MVP has become a quarterback’s domain.
A Wideout’s Award Again
Smith-Njigba’s win marks the first time a wide receiver has taken home the award since Justin Jefferson in 2022. Before that, Cooper Kupp - now Smith-Njigba’s teammate in Seattle - won it in 2021 during his legendary triple-crown season with the Rams. Kupp, of course, went on to win Super Bowl MVP that same year.
The lineage here is telling. This award has increasingly become a showcase for the league’s most dominant skill-position players not named “quarterback.” McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley claimed it the last two seasons, and now it’s back in the hands of a wideout who put up numbers that demand your attention.
What’s Next: Super Bowl LX
Smith-Njigba isn’t done yet. He’ll take the field on Sunday in Super Bowl LX, where the Seahawks face the New England Patriots. It’s a full-circle moment - from emerging star to All-Pro to Offensive Player of the Year, and now with a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
If he puts on the kind of performance we’ve seen all year, don’t be surprised if he adds another piece of hardware to his trophy case before the weekend is over.
Smith-Njigba didn’t just arrive this season - he announced himself as one of the NFL’s premier playmakers. And now, he’s got the award to prove it.