He just won a Super Bowl. He just won Offensive Player of the Year.
And Jaxon Smith-Njigba says one man “changed my life.”
That man? Cooper Kupp.
Seahawks Star JSN Says Cooper Kupp “Changed My Life” After Historic Season
Jaxon Smith-Njigba didn’t just take a leap in 2025.
He detonated.
Fresh off a Super Bowl title and an AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver is coming off one of the greatest seasons in franchise — and league — history. His 1,793 receiving yards set a Seahawks franchise record and rank eighth all-time in a single NFL season.
To put that in perspective: as a rookie in 2023, he had 628 yards. In 2024, he climbed to 1,130.
Then came the explosion.
But according to JSN, the transformation didn’t happen by accident.
It happened because Cooper Kupp walked into the building.
“It Kind of Changed My Life”
When the Seahawks signed Kupp last March to a three-year deal after his decorated run with the Rams, most saw it as a savvy veteran addition.
JSN saw something much bigger.
“I give credit to Cooper Kupp for that,” Smith-Njigba said. “It kind of changed my life, honestly — not being a slave to the result. I’m about the process. I’m about every day.”
That mindset shift — from chasing stats to chasing daily improvement — became the fuel behind his breakout.
Kupp, the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year who posted 1,947 yards in his historic season, brought more than talent. He brought obsession. Detail. Relentless preparation.
“The hours that he puts in and the dedication and the focus on the process — I haven’t met anyone like that,” JSN said. “When a Hall of Fame receiver comes to your position group, your eyes light up and it’s like you’re in football heaven.”
Football heaven turned into a football nightmare for defenses.
JSN didn’t just produce. He dominated.
The Culture Shift in Seattle
Smith-Njigba also credited head coach Mike Macdonald, who in just his second season led Seattle to a championship while engineering the league’s top scoring defense.
But JSN emphasized something deeper than schemes.
“He’s special,” Smith-Njigba said of Macdonald. “The culture that he built from day one — it’s awesome. It’s a privilege to be a part of. He’s someone you want to run through a brick wall for.”
Seattle didn’t stumble into a title.
They built it — brick by brick, rep by rep.
“This is the start of something special,” JSN added. “We’re gonna protect that at all costs.”
That doesn’t sound like a one-year wonder talking.
That sounds like a dynasty mindset forming.
Now Comes the Money
Here’s where things get even louder.
Smith-Njigba is entering the final year of his rookie deal. And after a season like that, the megadeal conversation isn’t optional — it’s inevitable.
When asked whether he believes he should be the highest-paid offensive player in the NFL, JSN didn’t hesitate.
“I would say so,” he said. “They don’t just hand offensive MVP out to anybody. It’s the best offensive player. And I think when I line up on the field, I was the best offensive player.”
Right now, Ja’Marr Chase leads all offensive players at $40.25 million per year. Micah Parsons holds the title of highest-paid non-quarterback at $46.5 million annually.
JSN just put the league on notice.
He wants the crown — and the contract.
From 628 yards to 1,793.
From promise to proof.
From rising star to franchise cornerstone.
And he says it all started with one lesson:
Trust the process.
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