Former player claims Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the 'actual MVP'

Quarterbacks have won the MVP award each season dating back to the 2013 campaign, with former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson taking the crown in 2012. Amazingly, no WR has ever won the award, so the odds are certainly stacked against Smith-Njigba.

With that said, his 2025 season he been nothing short of extraordinary. His 948 yards are by far the most on the Seahawks, well ahead of Cooper Kupp, who has 293 yards. 

Not only that, he has been QB Sam Darnold's clear go-to option, with his 79 targets more than twice as many as Kupp (33). That speaks to a player who is reliable, but also willing to make plays down the field whenever the ball is in his vicinity.

Let's face it, 12 of the 13 players ahead of Smith-Njigba on the oddsboard are QBs, so it will likely not matter how his dominant season so far stacks up in the end. Johnson had 1,964 yards when he set the receiving yards record back in 2012, but Smith-Njigba is on pace to eclipse that mark if he stays healthy and remains at his current pace.

As impressive as that would be, all signs point to that still not being enough for him to actually win the MVP award. However, that would still be a remarkable accomplishment and one that would definitely be MVP worthy, even if the award goes elsewhere.