The moves the Seattle Seahawks made this past offseason had plenty of fans skeptical, with many assuming this year would be a step backward rather than the championship charge we’ve witnessed. Instead, Seattle is heading to its third Super Bowl, chasing the second ring in franchise history. In just his second year at the helm, Mike Macdonald made the bold call to move on from Geno Smith and sign Sam Darnold, who incredibly became the first player in NFL history to win 14 games in back-to-back seasons with different teams.
Even more shocking was the departure of DK Metcalf, the team’s receiving anchor for six years. But that vacuum allowed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to explode into a historic franchise-record campaign, leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards (the 8th most ever), 10 touchdowns, and 119 catches.
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JSN and the “Undefeated Trend” for Receiving Leaders
Heading into Sunday, JSN sits at 1,965 total yards (regular season and playoffs combined), which officially ties him with the GOAT himself, Jerry Rice, for the fourth-highest single-season total in NFL history. With a typical “JSN night,” he could easily become only the third player ever to cross the elite 2,000-yard threshold in a single campaign.
But it’s the historical omen that should really have Seahawks fans excited. JSN is just the fourth wide receiver to reach the Super Bowl after leading the league in receiving yards that same season. He joins an exclusive list:
- Drew Pearson (1977) – Dallas Cowboys
- Jerry Rice (1989, 1994) – San Francisco 49ers
- Cooper Kupp (2021) – L.A. Rams
The trend is undeniable: teams with the league’s leading receiver are 4-0 in the Super Bowl. While Pearson didn’t find the end zone in his appearance, Rice famously scored three touchdowns in each of his “receiving leader” Super Bowls, and Kupp caught two scores in 2021. If history holds, the Seahawks aren’t just favorites, they’re a lock.
The Super Bowl MVP Value: Is JSN the Best Bet at +600?
While JSN is putting up one of the greatest seasons we’ve ever seen, it’s impossible not to compare his run to his now-teammate Cooper Kupp’s legendary 2021 season. Kupp pulled off the “Triple Crown” (leading in catches, yards, and TDs) and ended with an almost untouchable record of 2,425 total yards including the playoffs. However, the “undefeated” stat for receiving leaders makes JSN an incredibly tempting play for Super Bowl MVP.
Currently, JSN is the third favorite across most betting sites, with his odds sitting right around +600 to +650. When you consider that 15 of the last 19 Super Bowl MVPs entered the game with odds of +600 or shorter, Jaxon is right in that “sweet spot” where Vegas historically gets it right. He has the targets, he has the history, and he has the momentum to join Kupp and Rice as a wide receiver who took over the biggest game on earth.
