Jaxon Smith-Njigba briefly leaves Super Bowl to get tested for head injury
The Seattle Seahawks defense had the New England Patriots in a choke hold throughout the first three quarters of the Super Bowl, but they may have lost the NFL’s offensive player of the year for the final 15 minutes.
The Seahawks, late in the third quarter while leading 12-0, announced receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was being evaluated for a head injury and was questionable to return.
It appeared Smith-Njigba sustained the injury on a bubble screen in the left flat with 6:50 left in the third quarter that gained 4 yards. He left the field, talked to a team doctor and then went into the locker room. He had 3 catches on 9 targets for 24 yards.
Smith-Njigba had two near touchdowns that fell incomplete. The first came on a long pass on Seattle’s second possession that quarterback Sam Darnold overthrew after evading a sack. Smith-Njigba was behind the defense and may have gone for a 77-yard score. On another play, Darnold thew just behind him at the goal line with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. Patriots defensive back Christian Gonzalez had time to break up the pass.
With Smith-Njigba sidelined, the Seahawks took a 19-0 lead on a 16-yard touchdown to tight end AJ Barner with 13:28 remaining. It was the first touchdown of the game. Seattle got the ball on New England’s 37 after recovering a Drake Maye fumble recovered by defensive tackle Byron Murphy II after a Derick Hall’s second sack of the game.
Smith-Njigba returned to the game later.
This story was originally published February 8, 2026 at 6:42 PM with the headline "Jaxon Smith-Njigba briefly leaves Super Bowl to get tested for head injury."
