Skip Bayless Compares Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Jerry Rice After He Became the Highest-Paid WR in NFL History

Skip Bayless says that Jaxon Smith-Njigba reminds him of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice after the numbers he put up during the Seahawks Super Bowl winning season.

Skip Bayless Compares Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Jerry Rice After He Became the Highest-Paid WR in NFL History

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Skip Bayless (Image via IMAGO/X)

In Short
  • Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a four-year, $168 million contract extension, becoming the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
  • Skip Bayless compared Smith-Njigba's performance to Jerry Rice's 1995 season, highlighting his impressive stats.
  • Colin Cowherd praised Smith-Njigba for his professionalism and lack of drama, emphasizing his value to the Seahawks organization.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba sat behind DK Metcalf for years before receiving the WR1 baton at the Seattle Seahawks. And he made the best use of his opportunity. Smith-Njigba caught 119 passes on 163 targets for 1793 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns.

JSN played a key role in the Seahawks reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014. Seattle defeated the New England Patriots in the final to claim its second-ever Lombardi Trophy. Following the triumph, voters selected the 24-year-old as the offensive player of the year for the 2025 NFL season.

On March 20, 2026, the Seahawks exercised the fifth-year option on Smith-Njigba’s contract. Three days later, on March 23, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks agreed on a four-year, $168 million contract extension, making him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.

Right after the Seahawks announced the deal, Skip Bayless shared his unfiltered opinion on The Arena Gridiron show. Bayless heaped praise on JSN, saying he’s earned the right to top-tier pay after his impressive stats from last season, recording 1,200 more yards than the next best, Cooper Kupp.

To prove how impressive it was, Bayless compared it with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice‘s 1995 season, when he had 1,848 yards on 122 receptions. With 662 yards, running back Derek Loville came in second that year.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, with 477 attempts, had one of the fewest passing totals among players who started all 17 games, ranking just behind the Bills’ Josh Allen. Darnold aimed more than a quarter of his passes at Smith-Njigba. Bayless said:

We are not gonna throw a lot, but we wanna complete it, and they [Seahawks] did, because they were number one in yards per catch and number one yards per completion. So every time [Darnold] threw it, mostly to this [JSN] guy, it got caught for a lot of yards. So, it’s hard to argue with the productivity… He does not look like he’s playing fast, or he does not look like he’s that quick, but it’s like he’s a shape-shifter, like he just materializes and his open and that’s the closest I have seen [someone] to Jerry Rice.

NFL analyst points to the overlooked factor in Jaxon Smith-Njigba becoming the highest-paid wide receiver

Not everyone can be the highest-paid player in their respective sport. It takes not only discipline and hard work, but also the club’s trust in the player to become the face of the organization.

Skip Bayless Compares Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Jerry Rice After He Became the Highest-Paid WR in NFL History
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Image via IMAGO)

Smith-Njigba has proven that he has the potential to be a role model for the next generation of Seahawks players. Colin Cowherd, who watched JSN develop into a standout receiver, noted that the two-time Pro Bowler never allowed the spotlight to alter his personality. Cowherd said on The Herd:

No drama, no big ego. He is what every CEO is seeking. He is what every GM is seeking. He gets along with teammates, quarterbacks, coaches, [&] coordinators. He never steps in it… [JSN] is a prime example why Seattle had to make big decisions, and where do they set the record with JSN, you think it’s just talent. It’s not just talent. No babysitting him, no drama. He cares about the right stuff.

Cowherd may be taking a dig at Metcalf. The Seahawks dealt with Metcalf’s shenanigans until opting to trade him to the Steelers before the 2025 season. His demeanor did not change much in Pittsburgh. During the Lions game, Metcalf was caught misbehaving with a fan after the final whistle.

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