NFL Honors: Nacua Falls Short in Offensive Player of the Year Race

The phrase “the spoils go to the winners” really resonates here. For the Rams’ wide receiver, Puka Nacua, this season was nearly a standout one in the race for the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.

However, it was Seahawks wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njiba who took home the accolade at the NFL Honors ceremony on Thursday night. He outperformed notable contenders like Nacua, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, and Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

This past season, Nacua racked up an impressive 129 receptions, placing him atop the league, and finished with 1,715 receiving yards, ranking second in the NFL. His stats included 11 touchdowns, and he led the league with 729 yards after the catch and 24 contested catches. Pretty remarkable, right?

Because of these performances, Nacua was awarded the NFL Offensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus and garnered All-Pro First Team recognition from the Associated Press, along with an All-NFL First Team honor from the Pro Football Writers of America.

Still, it just wasn’t quite enough to outshine Smith-Njiba. In his breakout season, Smith-Njiba made 119 catches and led in receiving yards with a phenomenal 1,793 in just his second year. Oh, and he added 10 touchdowns to boot.

Smith-Njiba’s success translated into team achievements too, helping the Seahawks clinch the NFC West title with a win over the Rams in Week 16 before advancing to Super Bowl 60 after another victory in the NFC Championship Game in Seattle.

One can’t help but wonder—if the Rams had come out on top, would the results have differed? Nacua definitely made a case for himself. His 129 catches tie for the seventh most in NFL history, and his receiving yards rank 14th all-time. That’s something to be proud of, I’d say.

It’s worth noting, though, that Nacua fought through significant injuries—missing one game entirely and substantial time in two others—while still managing these stellar statistics.

On the other hand, Smith-Njiba had his own standout year, partnering with Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and driving the team’s unexpected season and playoff success all the way to the Super Bowl.

Nacua and Smith-Njiba share a common history; both were part of the same draft class in 2023. Nacua expressed his enthusiasm about watching Smith-Njiba, saying, “It’s been fun to watch him play this season. We were both in the same draft class, and I think we’ve done pretty well.” He also acknowledged his teammates, noting, “I’m excited for the players. They’re always ready to step up on the field.” It’s a nice camaraderie, really.