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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 20: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates scoring a touchdown during the NFL 2025 game against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field on October 20, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Jane Gershovich / Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named the NFC's Offensive Player of the Month for October.
Smith-Njigba was able to earn the award despite playing only three games in the month with Seattle coming off their bye week. Smith-Njigba had three consecutive 100-yard receiving games with 24 catches for 417 yards and three touchdowns in three games.
Smith-Njigba caught eight passes in each of the three games for 132 yards and a touchdown in a 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for 162 yards and a touchdown in a 20-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and for 123 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans.
"It’s special," Smith-Njigba said on Thursday. "Football takes everyone so I want to give that out to my team, honestly, because without the defense giving us opportunities, the O-line doing their thing, Sam (Darnold) doing his thing, it’s bigger than me. I just appreciate my teammates, coaches, and the fans. That’s what it means."
Smith-Njigba became the second receiver in franchise history to record three consecutive 100-yard games, joining DK Metcalf, who set the mark last season in Weeks 2-4 of the season against the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
"Jax does a really good job of understanding the plan every single week, just his mindset going into every single game," Darnold said. "I feel like he's so clear on what we're doing as an offense and what his role is as a receiver. I can't speak highly enough about that guy, but it really starts with days like today with the way that he prepares.
Smith-Njigba is on pace to shatter Seattle's franchise receiving records this season. Smith-Njigba has 50 catches for 819 yards and four touchdowns through seven games for the Seahawks. Over a 17-game schedule, that puts Smith-Njigba on pace for 121 receptions and 1,989 receiving yards. The 121 receptions would break his own team record of 100 receptions by over 20. But the 1,989 receiving yards would set a single-season NFL record.
Calvin Johnson had 1,964 receiving yards in a 16-game schedule in 2012 for the Detroit Lions. Cooper Kupp – Smith-Njigba's teammate now in Seattle – had 1,947 yards in a 17-game season in 2021. They're the only two players with 1,900 yards receiving in a season in NFL history.
Getting anywhere close to that number would blow away Metcalf's franchise record of 1,303 receiving yards set in 2020.
"Anything can happen," Smith-Njigba said. "That’s the mindset I have so I am just grateful for today. I had the opportunity to go out there on Thursday and prepare for Sunday night. Like I said, anything can happen and that's the mindset I have just day-to-day, get better. How can we go 1-0, how can I be there for my teammates, and be there for Sam (Darnold) when that time comes? That's really the mindset that I have."
Kupp spoke about the challenge of maintaining that level of production over the course of a full season and what it could be like for Smith-Njigba moving forward.
"They're going to have a plan to make things difficult for him," Kupp said. "The hardest thing is like, hey, you might have some plays, there's going to be some tough dry spells in the game where they're saying that we're not letting Jax get the ball, and you have to be willing to push through that mentally, and allow yourself to say, ‘Hey, I'm going to find ways to win, even when they're saying that there's no way I'm going to.’
"He’s done a good job. This isn't something that's new. It’s something that he’s been doing this year. Being able to stay in those places where late in the game, there's going to be opportunities to come your way and the last thing you want to be doing is floating around mentally when that opportunity comes. Trying to stay engaged in that place and he's done a good job at that."
Leonard Williams was the last Seahawks' player to earn a Player of the Month award, earning the NFC's defensive honors for December/January last season. Smith-Njigba is the first Seattle receiver to earn a Player of the Month award and the first Seahawk at any offensive position to win the award since Geno Smith was Player of the Month for October 2022.
Roster Move:
Just a day after signing him to the practice squad, the Seahawks released running back Velus Jones Jr. on Thursday.
Running back Myles Gaskin was re-signed to the practice squad in Jones' place.
"He helps us in the return games, special teams. Maybe outside at gunner, but a lot of great speed. We felt him when we played against him (with the Saints)," Macdonald said of Jones on Wednesday.
Apparently, the plans changed.
Injury Report:
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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