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Jaxon Smith-Njigba: "We're Ready To Take The Next Step As A Team" · Seahawks Press Pass

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Hello, Hello, good, good? What if anything is different coming
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: to training camps as a champ from the raining and.
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: You can feel the excitement, you can feel the energy.
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: Definitely having a great year is definitely awesome, and we
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: want to repeat that, of course. But I think just
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: coming in there's been a new energy, just a kind
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: of a fresh start and ready to get going, ready
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: for to take the next step, you know, as a team,
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: and a new beginning, so to speak. So we're excited
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: and we're juiced up to to get it going.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Is it hard to do that when.
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: You know what success feels like and tastes like. Was
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: it no longer that? Yeah, it wasn't that long ago.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: You know, we wanna create. Of course, there's gonna be
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: a new story, but we wanna create, you know, our
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: a new story with this upcoming season. And because it's
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: different and you know, we do have different guys, we
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: got different people in the building, so it's gonna be
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: a unique story and yeah, a unique challenge, different from
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: last year. So we're excited to to take it one.
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: For you next step is you know, to grow.
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: You know, I want I want y'all to see a
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: different level, uh, almost a different player out there and
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: just kind of an upgrade version. And always I've I
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: always say, you know, I can get better in all areas,
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: and I think year two with Sam Darnold and the
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: receiver corps that we have, you know, just our group,
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: you know, taking another step as we go into a
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: new years is something special and something that I feel.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: Like we can continue to grow in last year team
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: is kind of a different version of him, more comfortable
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: with donand percent.
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: I'm happy he gets, you know, to kind of have
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: a full season, a full off season and a training camp.
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: You know.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: Definitely excited for him, Uh, him getting connected with Sam
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: as well. Like I said, just taking that year or
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: two step is gonna be big for all of us,
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: especially you know in the receiving room.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: You've had four offensive coordinators in four years.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah, when you talk to an OC, what gets you
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: excited about their playing for you? Yeah, really just the
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: excitement you know that you know Flourry brings to the offense,
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: you know, and him just understanding the players, understanding you know,
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: what we're good at, and you know, having offensive coordinators
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: and in this business, you know, action speak louder than
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: the words, so you know, just getting out Here's good
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: to get out here and you know, put your foot
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: in the grass, catch a few balls and and see,
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: you know what we have so and where we're going.
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: So it's been it's been great so far. The receivers
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: doing some push ups after practice.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: Yeah, a little extra stuff, a little extra stuff.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: Been doing it for years, Okay. Yeah. Leadership, How do
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: you feel about your leadership? More expectations or just how
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: is that? Questions? Yeah, it's definitely gonna evolve.
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: You know, a lot more eyes, a lot more cameras
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: of course, and just building relationships with my guys.
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: We preach relationships is everything in this building.
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: So for me to grow that and you know, to
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: understand my teammates, you know, that's that's where I play
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: my best, just understanding them and playing for them and
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: and giving back to those guys and and knowing you know,
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: they can count on me and vice versa. So I'm
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: excited for that, that new step and kind of a
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: new role.
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: You have a view of Cooper's catchdown the left side line.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: What do you think of that? Man?
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: That's Cooper cup for you? You know, great concentration with the
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: left hand diving. I mean, you don't really see that often,
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: you know, but him, he kind of makes it regular
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: and you know, brushes it off, but it's spectacular play.
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: And you know something he definitely has in his arsenal
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: still has in his arsenal, you like, just the playmaking
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: with him, Like what what does he bring to the
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: recier room as a guy who's been.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: Around for a while.
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he brings a high level of you know,
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: confidence and high level of just learning and understanding what
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: we want to do and what the defense is trying
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: to do it. Like I said before, it's just like
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: having an extra coach out there. So you know, for him,
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: everybody trusts him. He's our he's our leader in the
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: receiving room and on the team. So you know, if
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: you follow him, you know you're doing something right.
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: You're good.
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: Can you already tell about Brian Florrie's offense right now?
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: I mean, you know, we're just putting in a lot
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: of basic stuff and we want to be good at
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: the basics. We want to be good at the fundamentals.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: We want to be good after the catch. We want
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: to be great actually and just take those short games
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: and turn them into long runs and you know, smash
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: mouse football.
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: You know, That's that's how we love to play.
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: And the defense is gonna have to react to us,
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: and we're just gonna keep punching it down their throats.
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: How much how much you're tinners standing on the players
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: versus the scheme? Which is which is good? To take
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: more of your count? Really?
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: I mean I would say both. At first, I love
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: to jump into the scheme and what they're doing, and
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: so I'll spend you know, a couple of days doing
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: that so I understand what they're doing, and I can
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: go into practice and kind of understand the looks, and
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: then I dive in deeper into the players and what
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: they like to do. The Tennessees they like to do
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: so we can exploit them. Mike, Mike keeps saying he
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: feels like the same guy despite having just won a
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: Super Bowl and your two's a head coach.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: Have you see any change in him at all? No,
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: and really no one in the building. It's just kind
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: of our DNA. You know.
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: It was great, the super Bowl was great, you know,
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: love to have it. But at the end of the day,
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: we got to brush that off to the side. You know,
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: no one really cares. Once we line it up, you know,
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: first snap this season, Frank coming in and say the scene, like,
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: what's the balance between you if you Yeah, I love
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: I love new new stuff and new perspective. You know,
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: as a player, it's your chance to grow. And for me,
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: I feel like whatever the coach ask, I can do it.
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: And so it's it's kind of cool just having a
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: different mindset, a different coach.
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: You know, in there it's be able to grow my game.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: And to an all all around game, more all around game,
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: and that's kind of how we feel as a a
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: whole offense.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: And you usedee that.
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: There was kind of a classic ACTS receivers the receiver slot.
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's kind of changed now post all sorts of
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: did you have an idea when you're growing up what
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: sign receiver you wanted to be with?
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: Mm No, I didn't always. You know, watch the Abs
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: and the des Bryants and the Larry Fitzgerald's and those
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: guys really lined up everywhere. So you know, I just
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: wanted to be versatile to where I can line up
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: literally anywhere whatever the coaching coach needs.
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: You know, it's easy to get the ball in my
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: hands and and turn up so that that's kind of
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: the receiver I wanted to be.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, of course, God bless you.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: It's actually going back to dipulating playing multiple receiver positions.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: What's the skill set you need? Balance? Speed, what are
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: those things basic skills you need to be able to
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: put a multiple in receiver positions?
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think I think what's great about it.
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: We have a lot of receivers and our receivers that
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: can play different positions, which allows me to line up
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: anywhere on the field as well. And you know, I
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: try to make everything look the same. You know, I'm
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: not the tallest receiver, so you know I can I
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: can sell and make everything kind of look the same,
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: like I said, And I think inside and outside. You
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: know that's that's kind of hard to detect and and
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: to cover.
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: Decra you're your type of guy. Since he got he.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: Man man, I I know there's a clip of me
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: just saying, you know, I'm so thankful to have him
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: on my team. He's been a difference maker, a leader,
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: everything you know you would want in a superstar.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: And since he came in.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: The building, he's been all about business and brought that
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: just brought that killer mode. Another killer to the defense
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: and into our team.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: So that's been awesome. I don't know if I can
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: say that, but yeah, it's not literally. But what what
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: was your did you were in Japan at some point? Oh?
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I was in Japan getting my karate right
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: a little bit.
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: It was awesome. It was awesome.
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: We got to go with family with my brother and
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: just right after the season just kind of get away,
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: you know, eat.
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: Some good food.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: I love the culture there and just kind of sit back, relax,
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: enjoy you know, Tokyo and everything that. You know, it
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: brings a special placed.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: Help your offseason.
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: I mean, you got the contract done when when you did,
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: and kind of get that off your way, off your shoulders.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: It was a blessing to you know, get it done.
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: Almost seems like forever ago, but it's a blessing to
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: get it done and and really focus on, you know,
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: this season and being with my teammates and just being
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: here and and and pushing forward.
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: Jackson bless you well, Like is there something about going
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: overseas getting out of the country. Did that's something kind
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: of doesn'mpre ind And what do you got out of
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: those experience of winning? Point? Yeah, I do like to travel.
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: I love to travel and just experience different cultures and
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: different different places, different people. I think for me, like
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: it's good for me to take a break, but I'm
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: always learning and you know, trying to get better.
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: That's just who I am.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: And that Spain trip, I got to to meet a
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: lot of real, real Madrid players and get with Vinnie
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: Junior and just learn, you know, what he does and
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: how he goes about his business, which was which was
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: very inspiring.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: And got to pick up a lot of things.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: To add to add to to myself my life and
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: and what I do.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: A lot of sale lines of trouble Fashion Week in Paris.
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: You got a lot of stars all in the same
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: from what was that experience? Oh, it was cool.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: It was super cool, you know, great experience with Pascal
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: to Watch company, got some Sierra Leon ties in there
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: and just to to me, you know, gos my brother's
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: from the NFL.
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: It was just awesome to.
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: Sit down and you know, just chop it up in
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: a in a new setting. You know, it's it is
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: a brotherhood in the league. So to see you know,
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: the NFL guys around the world is definitely cool and
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: it's a once in a lifetime experience.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks thanks