Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is quickly making a name for himself as one of the top young receivers in the league, heading into Week 7 against the Houston Texans.
And the praise he’s receiving isn’t just from fans — it’s coming from inside the Seahawks’ locker room. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, son of former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, recently compared Smith-Njigba to none other than Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Johnson.
“The kind of worker that (Smith-Njigba) is, that’s what Andre was when I was growing up,” Kubiak said, via Associated Press reporter Kristie Rieken. “My dad used to tell me, ‘If you want to know what a real pro looks like, look at No. 80.’ That’s what great players do — they’re self-motivated. And that’s exactly what (Smith-Njigba) is.”
Now, that’s some high-level praise — and deservedly so. Andre Johnson was one of the most dominant wide receivers of his era. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Johnson recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in seven of his 14 NFL seasons, leading the entire league in receiving yards in both 2008 and 2009.
Smith-Njigba, meanwhile, is putting up elite numbers of his own. He’s currently on pace to shatter the Seahawks’ franchise record for receiving yards per game, averaging an impressive 116 yards per game over the first six weeks of the season.
For the former Ohio State star, this kind of performance feels familiar. Back in college, Smith-Njigba set school records catching passes from none other than C.J. Stroud, who now leads the Texans.
This week, the two reunite — but on opposite sides of the field. For the first time in their NFL careers, Smith-Njigba and Stroud will face off as opponents.
“I’m excited for him to be in Seattle and for us to compete,” Smith-Njigba said via the Associated Press. “That’s a lot of our relationship — competing against one another. So, it’s awesome that we get to do it on Monday night.”
While the two won’t be sharing the field at the same time like they did in Columbus, both will be out to prove a point — each trying to outshine the other and lead their team to victory.
The Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans clash at Lumen Field with kickoff set for 7 p.m. PT. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN or stream it through the ESPN app.
It’s a primetime showdown filled with talent, storylines, and a bit of college rivalry renewed — one you definitely won’t want to miss.