Just days before the Seattle Seahawks faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was honored as the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors ceremony. Smith-Njigba’s exceptional performance throughout the season made this recognition expected, marking a highlight amid intense Super Bowl preparations.
Smith-Njigba delivered an outstanding season, recording 119 receptions for a league-leading 1,793 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. Despite his success, comedian Druski became a controversial figure by deliberately mispronouncing Smith-Njigba’s name during the award event, sparking criticism from Seattle fans and sports enthusiasts alike. Druski addressed the backlash in a CBS Mornings interview, revealing that he reached out to Smith-Njigba but did not receive a response.
I like to mess around, but sometimes you can go too far,
Druski said.
Congratulations to him, the team on the Super Bowl. I think that was an amazing thing. I didn’t get no response back, but I did reach out, I tried.
How Smith-Njigba Accepted the Award from Afar
Smith-Njigba was not physically present at the NFL Honors held at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, where Druski’s mispronunciation incident took place. Instead, he sent a prerecorded acceptance message to be broadcast during the ceremony.
In his message, Smith-Njigba expressed gratitude, saying,
“Wow, what an honor. I want to first give all the glory to God. Second, I want to give it to my teammates. I want to thank y’all. I love y’all. You are who I do it for each and every week. I want to give this award to my father. Going into my last year at Ohio State, he told me to pray for wisdom and I did.”
Ultimately, I wasn’t able to play. With that time, I grew wise and figured out a lot about myself and who I wanted to do it for. Ultimately, I dropped to the 20th Draft pick, where I was selected by the Seattle Seahawks. I can’t thank everyone involved enough. Much love and have a great night.
— Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba’s Super Bowl Performance and Team Victory
In Super Bowl LX, Smith-Njigba’s individual statistics were modest, with four catches totaling 27 yards. Nevertheless, his team secured a 29-13 victory over the Patriots, marking the Seahawks’ second Super Bowl championship in franchise history. This win enhances Smith-Njigba’s accolades as he adds a Lombardi Trophy to his Offensive Player of the Year award.
The Broader Impact of Smith-Njigba’s Award
Winning the Offensive Player of the Year award established Smith-Njigba as only the fourth wide receiver in the 21st century to receive the honor, joining prominent players such as Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, and Michael Thomas. This recognition underscores his rising influence in the NFL and sets expectations for his future contributions to the Seattle Seahawks and professional football at large.
The controversy surrounding Druski’s behavior highlights the tensions that can arise between humor and respect in the sports world, particularly during moments of achievement for athletes. While Druski’s attempt to engage with Smith-Njigba went unanswered, the episode reflects the ongoing dialogue about the boundaries of comedy in relation to sports figures.
As Smith-Njigba continues his career, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how he builds on this milestone season and contributes to the Seahawks’ future successes.
Druski just had the WILDEST pronunciation of JSN’s name on live television pic.twitter.com/96OKrrvUyJ
— Onyx (@OnyxOdds) February 6, 2026
.@druski pushes the limits in his comedy — but he says that all his work “comes from a good place, a good-hearted situation.”
The comedian tells CBS Mornings about season 2 of his dating series, “Coulda Been Love,” and taking chances. pic.twitter.com/KTqmucnmrH
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 19, 2026
Straight from the source. @jaxon_smith1 pic.twitter.com/Q5VOEsYm9v
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) February 6, 2026
