Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is establishing himself as one of the best at his position going into Week 7 against the Houston Texans.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the son of former Texans head coach Gary, compared Smith-Njigba to 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,” Klint Kubiak said via Associated Press reporter Kristie Rieken. “My dad said: ‘if you want to know what a pro looks like, look at No. 80.’ That’s what great players do, they’re very self-motivated and that’s what (Smith-Njigba) is.”
Andre Johnson, former Houston Texans player, stands on the field before the inaugural flag football championship game. / Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The comparison is very high praise for Smith-Njigba considering Johnson was one of the best wide receivers of his generation. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft caught over 1,000 yards in seven of his 14 NFL seasons and led the league in receiving in 2008 and 2009.
Smith-Njigba is on pace to smash the Seahawks record of receiving yards per game, notching 116 yards per game over the first six weeks of the season. It’s familiar territory for Smith-Njigba, who set records at Ohio State with C.J. Stroud as his quarterback.
Now, the two face off in the NFL for the first time with the Texans coming to town. Smith-Njigba is looking forward to competing against his former teammate.
“I’m excited for him to be in Seattle and us to compete,” Smith-Njigba said via The Associated Press. “That’s a lot of our relationship is competing against one another. So, it’s awesome that we get to do it on Monday night.”
While the two won’t be on the field at the same time like they were in Columbus, Stroud and Smith-Njigba will be trying to outperform the other as the Texans and Seahawks each look to grab a win at Lumen Field.
Kickoff between the Texans and Seahawks is set for 7 p.m. PT. Fans can watch the game on ESPN or stream it on the ESPN app.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba shake hands. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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