Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, fresh off a Super Bowl 60 win, explained his last name to reporters after his Super Bowl win.
After winning Super Bowl 60, Jaxon Smith-Njigba reemphasized his Sierra Leonean roots and the meaning of his last name.
The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver and former Ohio State star spoke about the origin of his last name and its ties to his family at a postgame press conference after beating the Patriots Feb. 8.
"Put respect on it, you hear me," Smith-Njigba said to reporters.
Smith-Njigba discussed the origin of his last name from his grandfather John Smith, who immigrated from Sierra Leone in the 1970s. Though his grandfather did not go by Njigba when he immigrated, Smith-Njigba reclaimed the surname to honor him.
"[He] had to work for everything he had," Smith-Njigba said. "Brought a lot of family over here, and he was a leader and took pride in who he was. ... I represent him, I represent my family, I represent Sierra Leone. ... it's an honor to say that up here in front of y'all."
I asked world champ Ohio State Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba if he could tell the world why his name means so much to him. Just take a listen and make this go as viral as when they make a joke out of it #SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/YSsSpIasLw
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) February 9, 2026
Smith-Njigba's grandfather is the reason he wears a Sierra Leone flag on his helmet. The two had a close relationship up until his grandfather died in 2014.
"My dad made sure we knew where we came from and our background and how our grandfather had to work for everything and change his name to get jobs," Smith-Njigba told FOX Sports in 2022. "We know things aren’t going to be given to us. We know we have to work for it."
Smith-Njigba became one of 39 Ohio State players to win the Super Bowl.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jaxon Smith-Njigba explains Sierra Leonean roots after Super Bowl win
Category: General Sports
