The Seattle Seahawks made one of the more unexpected runs of the entire NFL in the 2025 season. A bunch of savvy moves from general manager John Schneider made it possible.
However, at the center of it all was an unreal season from Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Now the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, Smith-Njigba hasn’t seen his competitive drive diminish one bit.
How Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is Keeping Seahawks’ Divisional Rivalries Alive
While the dominance the Seahawks showcased throughout the regular season served as a prelude to their spectacular postseason run, not a lot of people had them penciled in as Super Bowl champions.
A spectacular defense and a lethal running game behind the Zach Charbonnet-Kenneth Walker duo became the bedrock for their stability.
However, they had the perfect safety valve in Smith-Njigba, who had one of the best wide receiver seasons in recent memory.
Tallying 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, he was among the most consistent wideout threats in the entire NFL, finishing at No. 2 on PFSN’s WR Impact. As a result, he earned a massive four-year, $168.6 million extension this offseason.
Now a mainstay in Seattle for the foreseeable future, he remains as loyal to the fan base as ever. While he was a guest at a recent UFC event, the broadcast caught up with him for a quick interview. There, he was asked about the possibility of going up against a few rivals in the octagon.
While he initially joked, “Definitely not Devon Witherspoon,” in regard to his teammate before adding, “He’s a wild guy,” his real answer came in the form of the electric NFC West rivalries that defined the 2025 NFL season.
Three teams in the division won 12 or more games, with each team splitting the season series with the other two. Even in the playoffs, the Seahawks’ path went directly through their chief rivals.
First, it was the Divisional Round, where they dominated en route to a 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers, before taking on the Los Angeles Rams in an instant classic in the NFC Championship Game, winning by the slimmest of margins, 31-27.
Now tied with the Seahawks until 2031 with his new contract, the two-time Pro Bowler isn’t going to take the divisional rivalry any less seriously. Continuing with his response at the UFC event, he singled out the two teams.
“There’s a couple of guys out there. Anyone from the LA Rams or the San Francisco 49ers, I’d happily get in the ring with.”
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While a UFC fight is likely not going to be the place where Smith-Njigba tries to get the better of them, next season is going to offer him a ton more chances to compete against them.
After averaging nearly 97 yards per game in the six combined games he played against Los Angeles and San Francisco, it’s safe to say that he won those battles in 2025. Now, he’ll try to repeat his dominance, as the Seahawks try to continue their run atop the NFL.
