Glaring Mistake on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Offensive Player of the Year Trophy Infuriates Fans – “They Really Disrespecting Him”

Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the 2025 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year award that led to his league-leading contract.

Glaring Mistake on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Offensive Player of the Year Trophy Infuriates Fans – “They Really Disrespecting Him”

Jaxon Smith-Njigba received the wrong trophy (Image via College FB Portal/SS/X)

In Short
  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba received the Offensive Player of the Year trophy, but it was incorrectly labeled as Defensive Player of the Year.
  • Fans and Smith-Njigba expressed outrage over the NFL's oversight, calling it disrespectful.
  • His brother criticized the league for a pattern of disrespect towards Jaxon, highlighting previous incidents.

When the NFL announced that Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the winner of this year’s Offensive Player of the Year, it was no surprise to fans.

Not only did the 24-year-old lead the league in receiving yards, but his performances also helped his team lift their second-ever Super Bowl.

The franchise has always struggled to replicate its Legion of Boom days, and despite his mild mannerisms, the Ohio State alum quietly became the team’s most recognizable superstar.

The league tried to combine jokes while announcing his award when comedian Druski intentionally mispronounced his name to generate laughs. The only problem is that fans did not appreciate the act.

Neither did JSN, and the social media influencer later pointed out how that stint left him being ghosted by the 6-foot star. Now, it seems the NFL unintentionally made another mess when it came to the Ohio State alum.

It’s getting disrespectful at this point.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba wrote on IG

This was Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s caption when revealing how the league sent him the 2025 AP ‘Defensive’ Player of the Year award.

Just keep the award at this point. Leave it in the history books, tho.

JSN wrote

Smith-Njigba did not expect the disrespect to get to this level, where the league completely fumbles on sending the correct award to its deserved recipient.

RELATED
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Admits He Still Has Things to Achieve Next Season Even After Winning Lombardi Trophy and Becoming the Super Bowl MVP

Fans tear into NFL for disrespectful Jaxon Smith-Njigba award

Not only did Jaxon Smith-Njigba find it disrespectful, but football fans also did not appreciate the NFL’s major oversight.

Sending the league’s best offensive player, the Defensive Player of the Year award did not make sense. Some pointed out that a multi-billion-dollar-earning corporation should not commit such glaring mistakes. Check out examples of those reactions below.

The NFL may offer a formal apology, as this was as bad a PR situation as it could get. Fans can get over jokes and parodies, but this disrespect to the league’s highest-paid WR convinced them that they do not take their work seriously.

RELATED
How is Jaxon Smith-Njigba related to Pittsburgh Pirates’ Canaan Smith?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s brother flames NFL for constantly disrespecting players

While Jaxon Smith-Njigba did not make a major hue and cry about it, he did mention it was disrespectful on the part of the NFL. His professional baseball-playing brother, though, took it one step further.

Jaxon and Canaan Smith-Njigba
Jaxon and Canaan Smith-Njigba (Image via The Buckeye Nut/X)

Canaan Smith-Njigba took to X to not only call out the league for continuously disrespecting his two-time Pro Bowler brother, but also highlighted every instance they have done so.

From fining his dunk celebration to the Druski segment at the NFL Honors. Then, sending him the wrong trophy led the outfielder to essentially believe that the league is trying to make a mockery of his brother, while not respecting his professionalism.

Also Read: