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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The NFL made a big error this offseason when Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba received his AP Offensive Player of the Year award.
Smith-Njigba pointed out on social media that he received a trophy apparently labeled “Defensive Player of the Year,” but the NFL admitted it was a typo of “Oefensive.” That said, the NFL apologized and sent a replacement trophy after Smith-Njigba called the mistake "disrespectful."
Now, the NFL has taken a proactive approach to smooth things over with the reigning Offensive Player of the Year. The league placed Smith-Njigba on the cover of the 2026 Record & Fact Book , and it’s stated that he’s the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl champion.
It’s a gesture of respect by the league for a player who dominated in 2025 and was a major part of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run. Smith-Njigba had 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He averaged a whopping 15.1 yards per reception in the process. His receptions and yards set Seahawks single-season records along the way, and quarterback Sam Darnold had a reliable go-to target in every game because of it.
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Smith-Njigba will look to do more of the same in 2026, as he is establishing himself as one of the league’s best receivers. He has a lot of competition for being considered the best, with the likes of Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson, Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase and Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb for starters.
Another 1,700-yard season by Smith-Njigba could solidify that. He will be a critical part of the Seahawks offense again this year and even more so with the departure of Super Bowl MVP and running back Kenneth Walker III in free agency to the Kansas City Chiefs.
If Smith-Njigba can pull off an encore in 2026, he will want to see more respect from the league, similar to the recent cover.
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