Three years ago, John Schneider was sweating out the wait between the fifth pick in the 2023 draft and pick No. 20.

The Seahawks began that draft by selecting cornerback Devon Witherspoon, then they waited, wondering if there was any chance that Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the top receiver in the class, could possibly still be available at No. 20.

On Wednesday, the Seahawks' general manager and president of football operations was much more relaxed sitting alongside Smith-Njigba and head coach Mike Macdonald not long after the team's top receiver signed a lucrative contract extension to secure his long-term future in Seattle.

"I just remember we were so blessed that he was there at 20," Schneider said. "I remember being at the Pro Day that day and we were like, there's no way we're going to (draft him)—why are we meeting with this guy? ... (The first-round wait) took forever. I remember I was probably driving (vice president of player personnel) Trent (Kirchner) and (vice president/player acquisition) Matt Berry and (assistant general manager) Nolan (Teasley), those guys, probably driving those guys crazy. Do we go up? Should we go up? Should we go for him? Like, you get a little itchy. But we had just kind of studied, 'OK where, how?' And it literally felt like three hours or something. Changed my shirt a couple times."

Smith-Njigba lasted until that 20th pick, of course, and three years later he is coming off of one of the best receiving seasons in NFL history, having led the league with 1,793 yards on 119 receptions, both of which are franchise records, while helping his team reach and win the Super Bowl. Smith-Njigba, who was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro, already established himself as one of the NFL's best players as well as a humble team leader before his 24th birthday, which was last month, so it was an easy decision for the Seahawks to make a huge commitment to him.

"This is a really exciting day for the Seahawks organization, and obviously for Jax," Schneider said. "When you go to ownership and you ask for an investment like this, you have to be so cognizant of who the person is. I'm so proud of who Jaxon is as a person. Your parents did a great job raising you… Obviously a young foundational piece. Offensive Player of the Year. We're super excited, everybody in the building. We're all here for you, Jax. Have been from Day 1, and I know you'll be great moving forward. You're a great teammate, great person. The city of Seattle has to be jacked that he'll be with us for a long time here. With that, I want to thank (Seahawks Chair) Jody (Allen) for her support, (Seahawks president) Chuck Arnold and (vice president of football administration) Joey Laine for all those long hours on the phone with (agent) Joel Segal."

In addition to the usual collection of media on hand, Smith-Njigba's press conference also included a contingent of family and friends, as well as Seahawks employees who filled the auditorium.

"One of the great things that paints a great picture about what Jax means to us being a foundational piece of our football team and our organization is we've got a full house here," Macdonald said. "This is pretty awesome. We've got dang near the whole Seattle Seahawks organization supporting Jax on this day. I just want to emphasize how excited we are. He's going to be here and he's a foundational piece, he's a cornerstone of our team. Just being able to see his growth over the two years that we've been here. I mean, the sky's the limit. This is the beginning. This is another iteration of our football team, and Jax is obviously going to be a huge part of it and where we want to go and where we want to take our team, and I know it's early in his career, but he's already a leader on our team and will be for a long time. So we're really excited."

From his time at Rockwall High School in Texas to his college career at Ohio State to his young NFL career, Smith-Njigba has proven himself to be an elite talent at every level of his career, and in his three years in Seattle, he has also found a new home, one he won't be leaving anytime soon.

"God is great. I'm super blessed. Like John said, the whole organization, from top to bottom, it's a beautiful thing when God puts you in a place to succeed, and this is home for me," he said. "For me to be extended here for a few more years, I'm just excited and blessed and I understand where my feet are and understand the opportunity that's at stake, and just like always, I'm ready to attack. I have to thank my family, my father, my mother, just how they raised me. I'm here to serve others, serve the Lord, and whatever these guys need from me, they know I'm willing to do. There's not enough words to show my excitement and show my love for the city and this organization, but you'll see it on Sunday.

"Ever since I got drafted, I just felt the love and just really just understanding me. It's an honor to feel that confidence come from your teammates and come from the third floor and your head coach, and for us to get this deal done speaks volumes. Definitely just a little weight off my shoulders just to go out there and let it fly."

As Macdonald noted during the press conference, it was evident early in the 2025 offseason program and then into training camp that Smith-Njigba had a big season in store.

"I thought our defense was playing at a high level throughout camp and throughout the offseason program; we had a really hard time covering him," Macdonald said.

But for all of his on-field success in 2025, what also stood out to those closest to Smith-Njigba, and what was a big factor in extending him, was the person and the leader he was on a day-in, day-out basis.

"I think it's unique to see that type of dominating performance on a consistent basis but also the humility," Macdonald said. "What Jax was saying, his servant leadership that he provides to our team—he's not the guy that's breaking every huddle, every team meeting and everything like that, but what he does every day, what type of teammate he is, to the guys in that locker room, I mean, that speaks volumes, and that's where he does his talking."

Wednesday's contract extension is just the latest big accomplishment in a year full for them for Smith-Njigba, who, dating back to last fall, has become a first-team All-Pro, the AP Offensive Player of the Year, the NFL's leading receiver, a Seahawks franchise record holder, and most notably, a Super Bowl champion. But even after all of that—not to mention a huge new contract—Smith-Njigba knows there are still plenty of goals to chase in 2026 and beyond.

"The only thing better than one Super Bowl is two," he said with a grin. "So just working to get there, whatever my team needs from me, I make sure I get it done."