Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s NFL warning, Mike Macdonald’s honeymoon vision and the Super Bowl champions’ quest for repeat | NFL News

Honeymoons are for newlyweds celebrating true love and for future NFL head coaches plotting Super Bowl glory. At least in the case of Mike Macdonald, who has now turned to the Chicago Bulls as his recipe reference for a repeat.

Mystic Macdonald went viral earlier this year when the Seattle Seahawks released footage of his first-ever team meeting upon being appointed in 2024. Within it, he had strayed from his script to forecast a place at the NFC Championship Game and an ‘inevitable’ feel to a ‘won’t die, won’t quit’ machine.

“It probably came to me about 30 minutes before the meeting,” Macdonald tells Sky Sports of his viral speech.

Between some fine fortune-telling and a relentless winning formula, that vision became a reality 21 months later as Seattle beat the Los Angeles Rams to reach Super Bowl LX.

It would eventually culminate in Macdonald’s skyward gaze towards the cloud of confetti and fireworks honouring his Seahawks as NFL champions following their victory over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in February.

“The message wasn’t winning the NFC Championship, it was the feeling of our team that we were trying to create, of the trust, the bond, the connection and toughness, and trying to get them to feel compelled of where we wanted to go, and understand the daily inputs and things we can do to create that way of life and habits to make that vision be allowed to come to life.

“Everybody is worried about their first team meeting. I overthought it tremendously. It’s like your wedding speech, you write out something like crazy and toss the paper in the garbage and end up speaking from the heart.”

The message relayed this year was similar as Macdonald retained the same united principles in Seattle’s bid to reach successive Super Bowls. It came with the reminder that the Chicago Bulls were more than simply their prized No 23.

“The 91 Bulls, you think it’s the first year of the three-peat,” Macdonald explained. “It was from the first time Phil Jackson took over the Bulls and the vision he had for their basketball team, like the spirit and energy behind their offense and how they wanted to play team basketball and the flow state they were trying to create.

“It’s from a book called Sacred Hoops. I read that back on my Honeymoon in 2021 and it was the first time I had the vision of what it would look like if I was in charge of a team and what we would be like.

“That was kind of the grassroots or origin story of 12 is One, the synergy behind the team. It’s explaining how that vision came to life with Phil Jackson and how everybody had to buy in to become the team they wanted to become.

“They had the best player in the world, but to become the best team in the world they all had to buy in rather than just defer to Michael (Jordan) every play.”

JSN: Darnold shut up the doubters

Among those central to Seattle’s success last season was Jaxon Smith-Njigba as he led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards on the way to winning Offensive Player of the Year.

His connection with Sam Darnold buried any doubts that may have still existed over the quarterback’s ability to steer Seattle towards a championship.

Darnold signed with the Seahawks during the 2025 offseason after resurrecting his career with the Minnesota Vikings the previous campaign.

“It was awesome to be a part of his journey,” Smith-Njigba told Sky Sports. “His journey is definitely crazy, a lot of ups and downs; that’s how life is.

“With the quarterback position you get a lot of publicity and a lot of media attention, if we lose it’s on you, if we win it’s the team, so for me to just be out there with him, being there when I can for him, staying open, catching the ball and doing my job for him, it felt great.

“I was happy we could shut a lot of doubters and naysayers up; they can’t say too much now. The proof is in the pudding.”

Smith-Njigba was rewarded for his emergence as one of the NFL’s premier receivers with a four-year, $168m contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in his position in league history.

“It’s a blessing. I want to be here. I love putting on the Seahawks helmet and being in this facility around great people; for me to add a few years to this extension is a dream come true for me,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. For us to get it done early I really appreciate it so I can lock in and focus on the next step.

“I think this offseason was a great time for me to figure myself out and grow as a player and person. I think growing as a person evolves me into a better player.

“I think you’ll see a different level from me coming into the season.”

The only notable changes to the Seahawks this offseason came on offense. Super Bowl running back Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, while offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired as the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The latter’s departure has paved the way for a new voice on offense in the form of Brian Fleury, who previously served as San Francisco 49ers run game coordinator and tight ends coach.

“I’ve been lucky enough to deal with great football minds; he’s definitely one, and it’s exciting to be around that,” said Smith-Njigba.

While Macdonald continues to preach the same values and mindset that inspired Seattle’s Super Bowl run, he too has welcomed the addition of a fresh outlook and encouraged Fleury to stamp his mark.

“Brian has done a great job,” said Macdonald. “The challenge he has is he’s coming into a team with a lot of continuity within the staff, and a lot with the personnel.

“The easy thing to do is fall in line, but that’s not how we want to operate; we want him to add his vision and empower him to add what he sees and his talents to the whole engine, and see where it takes us.”

Smith-Njigba recalls the moment the clocks hit zero at Super Bowl 60, and the ensuing rush to find a teammate to embrace. The person he came across was cornerback and draft classmate Devon Witherspoon, prompting screaming and I love yous amid Seattle euphoria.

He had always envisioned it ending this way.

“I was very very confident going into the Super Bowl,” he reflected. “The Patriots are a great team and in football anything can happen but I was just really confident.

“I knew we were going to win the game. I knew our gameplan was good, we just had to go out there and prove it.

It was an unbelievable experience.”

But this is a new story, a new Seahawks team, and a new opportunity. As far as Macdonald, Smith-Njigba and the champions are concerned, the celebrations are over.

“We really just want to be in the moment,” he said. “We’ll take it one step at a time and let the story tell itself.”

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