Jaxon Smith-Njigba wasted no time getting involved in Week 1. On the opening drive against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field, he caught a 13-yard pass from Sam Darnold and gave the Seattle Seahawks an early piece of rhythm on offense.
The play mattered because it came first, before the rest of the roundup around it. For readers looking for the moment that put Njigba into the Week 1 spotlight, this was it: an opening-drive connection that set the tone for Seattle's day and gave Darnold an immediate target to lean on. The same game also featured other Seattle moments, from Nehemiah Pritchett's interception of Drake Maye to Jason Myers' 30-yard field goal in the second half, which is why the focus on Njigba stands out rather than simply blending into a list of highlights.
That wider mix is part of the story. Seattle's recap also included Cooper Kupp's one-handed 24-yard catch from Drew Lock, Uchenna Nwosu defending a pass from Maye and Julian Love's tackle on Hunter Henry after a 13-yard completion, plus Jadarian Price's 13-yard run for the first carry of his NFL career. But the first offensive snap that drew attention for Smith-Njigba was still the cleanest answer to what changed in the game: he was there immediately, and he was part of the opening drive before the rest of the day filled in around him.
For Seattle, that makes the catch less like a side note and more like the first sign of how the offense wanted to function in Week 1. If Smith-Njigba keeps turning early touches into drives that move, the opening connection with Darnold will matter far beyond a 13-yard gain.
