Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a huge game against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, then a simple message about the team’s next challenge.
The reigning NFL receiving leader made nine catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, helping lead his team to a 20-3 victory over Kansas City. Speaking on the field after the game, Smith-Njigba had a simple, four-word statement about the win.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Moving on After Chiefs Win
In a video the team shared on X, Smith-Njigba expressed gratitude that his team was able to grind out a win against the previously undefeated Chiefs.
“What a great win,” he said. “What a great win. In front of the 12s, always great to be home.”
Smith-Njigba then ended his statement with four words that put the win in perspective.
“Onto the next, though,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Smith-Njigba had a bit more perspective about how big the win was for his team.
“Playing a team like Kansas City and all the killers that they got on that side, we knew how big this game was, and we wanted this one badly,” he said, via ESPN. “You know, we saw it as a playoff game.”
The win brought the Seahawks back over .500 at 4-3, helping them stay in the race for the NFC West. The San Francisco 49ers had suffered their first loss earlier in the day, falling to 6-1 after losing to the Atlanta Falcons.
Seahawks Defense Stymied Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
The Seahawks dominated on defense against the Chiefs, holding quarterback Patrick Mahomes to just 165 yards passing with an interception. The Chiefs had just 213 total yards of offense, while league-leading running back Kenneth Walker III was held to 36 yards on 14 carries.
“Listen, all three phases we struggled, so we’ve got to do better, and that’s my responsibility,” said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid after the game. “So I take full responsibility for this. We’ve got to play better as a team.”
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said he hopes the game will spark something in his team.
“I think this game reminds the guys what we’re capable of,” Macdonald said. “I think our guys understand that there’s more levels to where we can go, and so I hope they feel the sense of urgency that we can get there because it is stuff that we can control. You know, talking about procedural stuff, red-zone stuff, negative plays, how we rush our red-zone defense, all those things we’ve been attacking.”
Seahawks Jaxon Smith-Njigba Delivers Simple Message After Beating Chiefs