Jaxon Smith-Njigba surpasses 1,000 receiving yards in Seahawks' 8th game of season

SEATTLE (AP) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks became the first NFL player this season to reach 1,000 receiving yards with a short catch in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Smith-Njigba, who entered with 985 yards through seven games, reached exactly 1,000 with his third catch of the afternoon, hauling in an 8-yard pass from Drew Lock.

Smith-Njigba finished with seven catches for 51 yards in Seattle’s 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He's on track to win the receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (71), yards (1,036) and touchdown catches (nine).

The fourth-year player out of Ohio State led the NFL last season with 1,793 receiving yards and won Offensive Player of the Year as he helped lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl title.

This year, he could be setting his sights on the first 2,000-yard receiving season in league history. Calvin Johnson came the closest, finishing with 1,964 yards for Detroit in 2012.

“Anything is possible,” fellow receiver Cooper Kupp said. “I'm sure that he wants that, but just the way he goes about his business, he wants to win games.”

Smith-Njigba became the third player in franchise history with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joining Hall of Famer Steve Largent and Tyler Lockett.

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