Latest / Seahawks Press Pass / Jaxon Smith-Njigba On His Role In The Passing Game "Pressure Is A Privilege"

Transcript

Jaxon Smith-Njigba On His Role In The Passing Game "Pressure Is A Privilege" · Seahawks Press Pass

• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Do you have favorite routes, and do they change week
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: to week, year to year, or have they been consistent?
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: No, I wouldn't say I have a favorite route, honestly.
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: How I like to match them and pair them and
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: make them look the same is something I like to do,
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: but just having a favorite route. If I had to
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: rank one, it would be a goal ball or fade, but.
• 0:32
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: How to play a route off of itself like this
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: one can counter to that.
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: One um i would say at a very early age
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: honestly just growing up in texas being around football um
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: growing up in a a great high school program in
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: rockwall texas um just you know just playing ball and
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: and having a lot of repetition at one thing you
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: know i think it sparked my creativity at an early age.
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: Noticed teams trying to do anything differently to you so
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: far this year than they did last year or anything.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: I mean there's been some creative ways um but you
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: know it's kind of the same we expect to to
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: see some them trying to you know take me out
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: some plays but i wouldn't say anything crazier from last
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: year that i've seen so far.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: Mike was asked about your your production so far this
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: season and Halfway through the answer, you mentioned your run blocking,
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: how you thought you did a really good job in
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: the last game. People might not think about a receiver
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: putting up the numbers you are in blocking, but how
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: much pride do you take in.
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: That as well? I take a lot of pride. I
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: think for me to lock in on the little things
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: and put my focus in on blocking kind of releases
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: some tension and stress that I put on myself in
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: the past game. So me just focusing on that and
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: focusing on lining up, getting to the ball, blocking, just
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: perfecting my all-around game. That is an area that I'm
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: focused on for sure.
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: What's the pressure that you put on yourself in the
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: pass game?
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: I mean, you make it look effortless.
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I say pressure is a privilege, but it's just,
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: you know, that is my job. I mean, that's the
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: first thing. That's all my job is to get open,
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: catch the ball. So I would say, I mean, just
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: that pressure.
• 2:25
  Speaker 4: Red zone is obviously such a congested area. What do
• 2:28
  Speaker 4: you think are the biggest key or two as a
• 2:30
  Speaker 4: receiver to being able to be successful there when you're
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: considering the lack of space and all the defenders that
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: are there?
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: Yeah, timing is extremely important, especially down in the red zone.
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: And just Sam being able to see routes working for
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: each other and, yeah, just doing that, working, really everyone
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: working together to get each other open. And Sam just
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: seeing where the one-on-one is and executing from there. When
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: you look back, what was the hardest pass catching thing
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: you had to work on? I know you continue to evolve,
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: but is it that deception, the hand.
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: The tracking?
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: What was that thing? I've always been talented with catching
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: the football, honestly. I think just over time, my development
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: that I look towards, you know, look forward to in
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: the off seasons, getting bigger, faster, stronger, um, growing into
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: my body. Um, um, but when it comes to catching
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: the football, I've been, I'm, I know I'm super talented
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: in that area. So it's just, just repetitions and staying
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: on top of it and focusing, um, catching a lot
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: of passes in the off season. So when I'm, I'm
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: ready during the season.
• 3:46
  Speaker 4: Where do you, where do you think you're better this year?
• 3:49
  Speaker 4: in your game, like when you nitpick yourself with little things,
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: where do you think you've made.
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: A stride forward?
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I would say first just having last season to
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: go off last season, just the I think reps and
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: time is the most valuable thing for me right now.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: Just building off what I did. I think, like I said,
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: in each offseason, I want to get bigger, faster, stronger.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: I think I did that this offseason. So just allowing
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: that to elevate my routes and, and for me to
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: be better getting out of breaks and stuff like that.
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: So I try to improve in my overall game. So
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't say one particular area right now.
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: What did you do to get bigger, faster, stronger?
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: Just work, just work grinding and off season and getting
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: here with these, with these guys staying on top of it,
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: sticking to the routine, the routine, the plan that I,
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: we built for myself to be able to be ready now.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: How often when you're running around or in a play,
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: is it just about getting it open in the one
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: window versus second window, third window kind of plays?
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah. So as the play develops, you know, that's where
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: you can, you know, look for the second and third window.
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: There's times that I play in a good stride to
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: where I put my foot in the ground and the
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: timing's perfect so we can, be in that first window.
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: But as the play keeps going, then you'll reach that
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: second and third window, stuff like that.
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: We've heard from your coaches about how one of the
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: ways they've tried to help you stay ahead of what
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: defenses are doing to try to stop you is moving
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: you around different positions.
• 5:31
  Speaker 4: What's it like having to learn all those positions and
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: execute them in real time? It's good.
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: I look forward to it. Accepting the challenge and locking
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: in on Wednesdays Days like today, just locking in, understanding
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: what we have to do. But it takes a collective,
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: you know. So if I'm moved around, you know, he's
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: moved around as well and Coop as well. So us
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: just being locked in as a receiver and being versatile
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: is something that we pride ourselves on.
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: In the past, have you mostly just stuck to like one,
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: like you're the, you know.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: One position that you mostly stick to that? Honestly, I haven't.
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: I mean, ever high school, moved around everywhere. College, moved around.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: I've been in the backfield. I've been in the slot.
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: I've been in the outside, motions and stuff like that.
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: So it's been a part of my game just to
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: be overall receiver and to put our team in best
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: position to move the ball forward.
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: How do the considerations about running change when you're in
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: the backfield, coming out of that area? What else do
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: you have to consider about your releases, the timings of stuff,
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: as opposed to at XZ or slot or whatever?
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, first just making sure, you know, not getting hit
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: by the big guys up front, making sure, you know,
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: my space is, the awareness on my space and who's
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: around me and what's coming off the edge is important.
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: And then letting plays develop is something, you know, you
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: have to do. Be more patient while I'm in the backfield.
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: Just let the play develop and see, you know, what
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: I'm really getting.
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: What was it like being interviewed by Russell Wilson?
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: I think it was pretty cool, you know. Russell Wilson,
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: he's great, and, you know, um, awesome to continue to
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: connect with him and be on his show. I thought
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: it was really cool. Um, it was, it was fun
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: answering those questions and, um, he's a really good guy. Um, so,
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: you know, awesome to, to, you know, have a conversation
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: and put it out there. Any thoughts on getting Zach back.
• 7:28
  Speaker 3: In practice today?
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: Um, and in general, from your perspective, what he brings
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: to this offense?
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: Awesome to have Zach back. I mean, he's, uh, He's
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: someone this team needs. He's a competitor. We came in
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: together and definitely a leader in that room. So it's
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: a big deal to have him back and I'm excited
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: for him. The whole team is. He works extremely hard
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: day in and day out. So happy to see him back.
• 7:57
  Speaker 4: He's about seven and a half months out from surgery
• 7:59
  Speaker 4: now to kind of see... where he's at given the injury? Like,
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: what does that kind of say about him and that
• 8:06
  Speaker 4: kind of work that you talked about?
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know he's going to do whatever
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: he can to get back, and I think it just
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: shows his dedication, his preparation. You know, a real intelligent
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: dude that understands his body and wants to be out there.
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: So we appreciate him, like, you know, getting things done
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: and making it a speedy recovery. So happy for him.
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: I mean, obviously it was a big emphasis last year
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: to defend Lumen Field, and you did that. Just what
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: it means to be back in front of the 12s.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: It feels like it's been longer than that.
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I know.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely missed the 12s being out there. You know,
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: we're always excited to be at home. It's definitely an advantage.
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: Every week we get to play there. Best fans in
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: the world. So, you know, we're making it harder and
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: harder to play there for opponents to play there. So
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: we're excited to get back in front of y'all and
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: put on a show.
• 9:03
  Speaker 3: You were asked earlier about teams putting extra tension on
• 9:06
  Speaker 3: you and how they're trying to take you away. As receivers,
• 9:08
  Speaker 3: is there a point of pride when that happens if
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: you facilitate another teammate getting to play, like Koop's touchdown?
• 9:13
  Speaker 4: 1,000%.
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: They put a tension on you, Koop gets open.
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: 1,000%.
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: I mean, those guys do it for me all the time.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: And when it's my time to do it, happy to
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: do it and to get guys open. That's what we're
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: going to have to do to win. And we all
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: understand that. I understand that. you know, that's what we're
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: going to do. Maybe off of.
• 9:33
  Speaker 4: That point, like, in the Super Bowl, the numbers weren't, like,
• 9:36
  Speaker 4: awesome for you, but you got the job done that
• 9:38
  Speaker 4: you were wanting to. It didn't seem like that bothered
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: you in the slightest. Oh, no.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: I mean, especially in the Super Bowl, but, yeah, I mean,
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: we're trying to win. We're trying to win Super Bowls,
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: and I think, you know, that's what people remember ultimately
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: at the end of the day, and my time will come.
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: I will have my time, and... as long as we're
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: winning and, you know, doing our best for me to
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: get the ball and do what I do, I think
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: it's great.