It takes a lot to get Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba upset. Off the field, he seems like the cool guy your older brother wants to be friends with. On the field, he rarely shows any negative emotion. That changed momentarily in Week 4.
On Thursday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks were driving and running back Zach Charbonnet slithered and powered his way to a touchdown run that put Seattle up 24-6. Only it didn't happen. JSN was called for holding, and Seattle had to settle for a field goal.
Did Smith-Njigba hold? It was questionable. The problem might have been that the official who threw the flag had his view blocked a bit by the Cardinals defender. It looked like JSN held, but it appeared more like the defender simply fell on the receiver.
Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba gets honest about the bad penalty on him in Week 4
After the official turned his microphone on and began to tell viewers and the crowd what the penalty was, Smith-Njigba walked in front of the referee and was hurt to say, "That was b*******!" The call was, but JSN should have been more aware that the mic was hot and everyone could hear him.
The official was certainly peeved, stared at the Seahawks receiver as he walked by, but didn't throw a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. He could have.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had every right to be upset by the bad call, but his DK Metcalf-like outburst was not going to change the penalty. He knew this but was just mad.
During the team's post-game press conference, Smith-Njigba was asked about the outburst and said, "Players make bad plays. Refs make bad plays... I just have to be better."
The answer was perfect, JSN. He answered without really answering while at the same time throwing a bit of shade. He did the same thing after the 2023 season when he was asked about former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who had just been hired by the Chicago Bears.
Smith-Njigba asked the interviewer if they were "live" and then said "good luck" to Bears fans. It was a clear negative critique of Waldron's coaching without saying it in a straightforward manner.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba took partial blame for being penalized and taking Zach Charbonnet's touchdown away, but he also did so reluctantly. It was obvious the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver thought the official made a bad call. The truth is, Smith-Njigba was right.