In Seattle’s first game of the 2025 season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba had more targets and more catches than all the other Seahawks’ pass catchers combined. Seattle managed just 13 points and lost to San Francisco. A lot of us thought that if Mike Macdonald’s crew was going to do anything this season, he and Klint Kubiak would have found a few other receiving options.
Turns out maybe we were wrong. Jaxon Smith-Njigba proved on Sunday night that he is the best receiver in the NFL in 2025.
Fox analyst Tom Brady, who knows a little something about being the best, offered some insight into why JSN seemed to be open all game long. “He’s like an ice skater out there when I see him run routes. He glides. His shoulders never dip.”
Tom Brady identifies one part of Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Nijgba’s game that makes him unstoppable
We all can all see the obvious elite-level talent that Smith-Njigba shows week in and week out. Against the Rams, his showiest catch came on a short out in which he snagged a Sam Darnold throw with one hand.
Later, in the second half, he leapt about nine feet in the sky and caught another Darnold throw in the back of the end zone. He landed well out of bounds, but it didn’t matter. JSN does not drop balls.
And for a receiver who doesn’t look quite as big as his 6’0”, 197-pound listed size, he is as tough as they come. Late in the first half, with Seattle trailing, Rams' safety Kam Curl nailed him with a brutal shot on a deep ball from Darnold. JSN didn’t even bobble the ball. He secured the catch, popped up to his feet, and let out a scream. Seattle took a lead they would never relinquish a few plays later.
But how did Jaxon Smith-Njigba – the league’s leading receiver- get wide open 40 yards downfield when everyone knew Darnold would be looking for him deep? That’s where Brady’s analysis comes into play.
“He maintains the same shoulder plain when he runs his route, so it’s really hard for any defensive back to get a bead on what he’s doing.”
In addition to being tough and never dropping the ball, JSN is as good a route runner as there is in the NFL. He never tips his routes. Kubiak lines him up all over. JSN runs routes at all three levels, to both sidelines and over the middle.
Since he could be starting anywhere and ending up anywhere, defensive backs have to look for clues as to where he might be going. They spend all week studying tape, looking for tells. But as Brady pointed out, he simply doesn’t give them any.
His exceptional ability to cut right or left without revealing the slightest lean puts defenders on their heels. The fact that he has exceptional acceleration forces backs to give him some space. JSN takes advantage of soft coverage by snaring a quick out, making one quick move, and gaining big yards. When they try to crowd him, JSN simply leaves them in the dust.
In the biggest game of his life, JSN caught 10 balls for 153 yards and scored a touchdown. Eight of his other catches went for first downs. The Rams knew he was going to get the ball, and they couldn’t do a thing about it.
As Tom Brady explained, he isn’t just a regular football player. He has a little bit of an ice skater in him as well.