(Video) Jaxon Smith-Njigba Dunks on Goalpost After Scoring Touchdown Against Texans, Gets Flagged for Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was flagged by the referee for touching the goal post while dunking the ball over during the Texans fixture in week seven.

(Video) Jaxon Smith-Njigba Dunks on Goalpost After Scoring Touchdown Against Texans, Gets Flagged for Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Image via IMAGO/X)

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba showed off his dunking skills during the late kickoff at Lumen Field. While the crowd praised his athleticism, the officials weren’t too pleased with his actions.

After taking a 7-0 lead through running back Zach Charbonnet in around the seven-minute mark, the Seattle Seahawks had to wait until the last seconds of the first quarter to add a second.

With milliseconds left on the clock, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold threw a dart at Jaxon Smith-Njigba from first and ten. Darnold’s pass split two Houston Texans defenders before arriving in JSN’s arms.

Everything was fine until Smith-Njigba dunked the ball through the middle of the goal post and hung onto the bar for a few moments before landing on the turf right in front of the goal line referee.

The official threw a penalty flag and deemed the third-year wideout’s actions as ‘unsportsmanlike.’ The touchdown stood, but the penalty gave the Texans a 15-yard advantage in the following drive.

Smith-Njigba could receive further punishment for touching the goalpost. According to NFL Rule 12.3.1.g, the players are free to dunk the ball over the post. However, they must avoid making any contact with it.

We interpret Rule 12.3.1.g, which prohibits using any ‘object as a prop’ other than a football, as meaning a player can use the ball to dunk over the goal post, but if he hangs onto or clearly hits the bar with his body, the risk other than injury is displacing the crossbar and making it crooked, which requires time to re-adjust. If a player shoots or dunks the ball over the bar without contacting the bar, that is not a foul.

an NFL spokesperson said in 2021 (H/T: USA Today)

For example, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce made the same mistake as Smith-Njigba after scoring his 77th career NFL touchdown and had to pay a 14k fine to the league.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s penalties in the 2025 season

Smith-Njigba’s transition from WR3 to the main target in Seattle has been smooth. However, he needs to start acting like one as well. A WR1 is a poster child right after the quarterback of a franchise; he must avoid creating a nuisance for the team. The team needs him to be a leader and a role model.

(Video) Jaxon Smith-Njigba Dunks on Goalpost After Scoring Touchdown Against Texans, Gets Flagged for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Image via IMAGO)

The Ohio State graduate has been a great receiver, but also a bit naughty at times this year. During the Seahawks’ week six win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, he caught a 20-yard pass from Darnold and then spun the ball in front of the Jags’ dugout. The referee called a taunting penalty against Smith-Njigba.

Two weeks before that, the Seahawks played divisional rivals, the Arizona Cardinals. While leading by 17-6 with 11:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, Charbonnet scored a touchdown on the ground, but it was called back for a holding penalty on a Cardinals DB. And the culprit? Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He grabbed Max Melton and took him down to the ground, which cleared the path for Charbonnet to score the TD.

JSN’s antics weren’t over. When the match official was announcing the penalty, the 23-year-old hurled curse words at him, which got caught on the hot mic.

Smith-Njigba was drafted 20th overall by the Seahawks. In 2024, he had 100 receptions for 1130 yards and 6 touchdowns. After six games (prior to the Texans fixture), JSN had accumulated 42 receptions for 696 yards and 3 touchdowns.

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