Nelly Korda’s adventurous start to the 2026 LPGA Tour season continued this weekend. On Sunday, the World No. 2 threw away a comeback rally with a late 3-putt from short range in the final round to lose the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup by one shot.
Technically, Korda ended a lengthy win drought at the first LPGA tournament of the season. But that victory came in controversial fashion (more on that below). A win Sunday in a full 72-hole event would have silenced any critics doubting her ability to rise back to World No. 1.
At the start of Sunday’s final round at the Founders Cup, Korda may not have had a victory in mind. Though she sat in second place, she was a distant five shots behind 54-hole leader Hyo Joo Kim.
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That dynamic changed in a hurry.
After an early bogey at the 2nd hole, Korda blitzed the rest of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club’s front nine with five birdies. After a sixth birdie at the par-5 10th hole, Korda had completely erased the five-shot deficit.
With eight holes to play, Korda and Kim were knotted at 17 under. Despite making a bogey at 16, Kim had re-taken the lead by one shot by the time the final pairing reached the par-3 17th hole.
Heading into 17, Korda had made four-straight pars as she watched Kim begin to struggle. When Korda found the 17th green with her tee shot and Kim missed long, it looked as if Korda would at least tie the lead, if not take the lead, heading into the final hole.
That’s when things went haywire.
Korda’s birdie putt missed and left her with about a three-foot putt for par. Meanwhile, Kim hit a heroic chip from deep rough to set up a par putt of her own from a similar length.
Kim hit first and drained it for a tournament-saving par. Then Korda stepped up and made her stroke, only to watch her ball glide by the low side without touching the cup. The miss drew an audible gasp from an analyst on the Golf Channel broadcast.
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The disastrous short miss handed Korda a 3-putt bogey, dropping her two shots back heading to 18.
Kim ended up making bogey on the closing par-5, but Korda could only manage a par, which gave Kim a one-shot victory and Korda another near-miss.
After the round, Korda rued her “one stupid mistake” on 17 and said the 3-putt “stings,” but she also tried to take some positives from the experience.
“Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is. I felt great all day. I just kind of made one stupid mistake, and that was 17 (and then) 18,” Korda said Sunday night. “I wish I could have hit that drive into the fairway and given myself a better opportunity to press a little bit more.”
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She continued: “That’s just golf. Those are sports. Sometimes it’s on your side, and sometimes it’s not.”
Nelly Korda’s controversial win in rain-shortened LPGA event
Korda’s unfortunate loss comes on the heels of a victory in her first start of the season. But the situation surrounding that victory, the 16th LPGA win of her career, was anything but normal.
At the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in late January, the LPGA’s first tournament of the season, freezing temperatures hampered play.
A Saturday 64 had left Korda with a three-shot lead heading into Sunday, so when the tournament was called, Korda was officially given the victory. It was her first LPGA win since 2024.
But the decision came amid controversy. Korda was prepping on the range when the final round was canceled and called the course “playable” at the time.
LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam said, “I don’t know why they’re not playing,” while Korda’s competitor Lydia Ko, who was in fourth place, said, “I’m gutted that we don’t get to play tomorrow.”
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In a memo to LPGA members the next day obtained by GOLF, LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler apologized for the controversial finish to the Tournament of Champions, writing in part, “While the decision was a tough one and ran counter to prior statements we shared, I made a judgement call. With the benefit of hindsight, there were clearly other ways we should have managed the situation.”
Brazil defender Gabriel Magalhaes has become the latest player from title-chasing Arsenal to withdraw from international duty with injury.
Six of the Arsenal first-team squad have now pulled out or been determined to be unavailable to represent their country in the international window that begins this week.
The Brazil Football Federation (CBF) said that Gabriel will miss the friendlies against France and Croatia, which will take place in the United States, because of “pain in his right knee”.
The CBF says that imaging tests confirmed the 28-year-old’s injury.
His fellow Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has withdrawn from the France squad, with Les Bleus also travelling to the US for their friendly matches against Brazil and Colombia.
England midfielder Eberechi Eze was called up to Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan but withdrew with a calf problem.
He suffered that blow in Arsenal‘s 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their Champions League last-16 second leg and missed the Wembley defeat on Sunday.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club are waiting for Eze to undergo another scan to find out the severity of his injury.
Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard is out of the Belgium squad for their matches against the USA and Mexico because of an injury issue.
Club captain Martin Odegaard was already ruled out of Norway duty because of a knee injury, while Dutch defender Jurrien Timber is also out of action at the moment.
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Arsenal are competing to win their first Premier League title for 22 years and lead second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, by nine points.
They are next in action when they take on Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 4, before they play the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Sporting on April 7.
The Gunners resume their league campaign on April 11 when they play Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium.
Foden has now collected 18 trophies since breaking through into the first-team as a teenager and was called up to the expanded England squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
But there are question marks as to whether he will make the cut for this summer’s World Cup, while he failed to make it off the bench in last week’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie against Real Madrid, with City suffering a 5-1 loss on aggregate.
Speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United forward said: “I felt sad for him but not sad because he is coming on in a cup final.
“There was a game a few days ago when he didn’t even get on the pitch. If that was Max Dowman coming on at the end, you would think good experience. But to see Phil Foden coming on in a cup final, it felt like a charity sub to get him on the pitch.
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“I don’t know what has happened, he is a top player. It feels strange he can’t get anywhere near the team. It feels like something has gone on there.
“I thought Foden was in good form but all of a sudden we haven’t seen him get any minutes. Firstly he will be pleased they won the cup but from a selfish point of view, he would have wanted to be out there and having an influence.
Arthur Fils delivered one of the most dominant performances of the tournament, crushing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6–0, 6–1 at the Miami Open 2026.
From the first point to the last, it was complete control. Tsitsipas had no answers as Fils dictated everything.
The win continues a remarkable trend. Fils is now 5–0 against Tsitsipas.
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Even more impressive, this is only his fifth tournament since returning from injury, yet he’s already: into his second Miami Round of 16 won 9 of his last 11 matches
After the match, Fils didn’t hold back:
“That was the best match I ever played I think in my life. I played some great matches before, but this level was insane, man. I don’t know what to say. I’m very happy with the performance and hopefully I can keep this level til the end of the week.”
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Asked if he’s fully back, his answer was simple:
“Oh man, I’m fully back. It’s like I never left ”
On the other side, Tsitsipas was visibly frustrated, even directing complaints toward the umpire about the conditions:
“You should be ashamed of yourself. Have you ever seen me serve and miss a forehand for 5 hours in a row? It doesn’t happen. I cannot see the ball. I don’t know how he sees the ball.”
John O’Shea says he is confident the Republic of Ireland can carry the momentum gained in November into Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final against the Czech Republic (19:45 GMT).
In danger of missing out, the Republic of Ireland pulled off stunning victories over Portugal and Hungary to reach this stage.
The 3-2 win in Budapest was a rare success on the road for the Republic of Ireland, but O’Shea has faith that the players can replicate that heroic performance and keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
“Without a doubt, but you have to reinforce that [idea of momentum] straightaway,” said O’Shea.
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“The boss [Heimir Hallgrimsson] had a meeting with the boys this morning and we’ll reinforce that in the training sessions and video meetings we’ll have over the next couple of days to transport themselves back to that moment in Hungary, but then fast forward to what’s ahead of us in Prague, tough opposition but one we can have success against.”
The Republic of Ireland will set up a play-off final at home to Denmark or North Macedonia on 31 March with victory in Prague.
There are no fresh injury concerns from the weekend’s club action following Hallgrimsson’s squad announcement on Thursday.
“The boys are in a good place,” added O’Shea, who won 118 Republic of Ireland caps but was not included in the 2002 World Cup squad.
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“Training today was almost reminding me of that cup final scenario. Everyone’s wanting to get into the team, the intensity, the noise and the atmosphere around the boys is brilliant.
“There’s a quiet confidence in the group growing together, it’s great to see but we know there’s a lot of hard work to come.”
LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Victoria Pelova of Arsenal during the Arsenal Women training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre on March 19, 2026 in London Colney, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal Women head into their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea Women with key absences ahead of their first-leg tie on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at the Emirates Stadium.
Defender Leah Williamson missed training due to a hamstring injury, having already been unavailable for the weekend’s league match against West Ham.
Her absence comes at a crucial moment, when Arsenal is preparing for a high-stakes European clash.
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The squad is further stretched, with Australian trio Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross all unavailable following their involvement in the Women’s Asian Cup, where Australia reached the final.
Olivia Smith was also absent from the session, with further updates expected from manager Renee Slegers ahead of kickoff.
With several key players missing, Arsenal face a major test as they prepare to take on a strong Chelsea side in this Champions League quarter-final.
The Premier League relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire with four clubs seemingly battling to avoid the one remaining spot in the drop zone.
Perhaps Wolves or Burnley could still pull off the greatest of escapes but, in all likelihood, they will crash into the Championship and then be joined by one of Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.
Relegation for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history but their chastening 3-0 defeat to Forest in their final game before the March international break and Igor Tudor’s catastrophic spell in charge has made that a real possibility.
The north Londoners are currently 17th in the table, just a point above bitter rivals West Ham in 18th, while Forest and Leeds have a marginally greater cushion between them and the bottom three. But with seven games remaining for each, there will be plenty of twists and turns still to come.
Here’s how the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.
Where to pick up points? The fixtures have fallen fairly kindly for Leeds and the chances are there for them to secure Premier League football next season. Three wins would definitely be enough to survive and two may well do it, so they’ll be eyeing up home fixtures against the current bottom two – Wolves and Burnley – to get over the line. Away games against relegation rivals Tottenham and West Ham also look like prime opportunities to get results on the board.
Tricky contests? Their first game after the international break, away to high-flying Manchester United, is their toughest remaining fixture on paper and leaving Old Trafford with anything would be hugely impressive. That is their only game against a team currently above 10th in the standings but a trip to Bournemouth in April and hosting European football-chasing Brighton in their penultimate fixture won’t be easy. Will an FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham straight after the international break prove to be a welcome distraction or a hindrance?
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Final straight? Leeds will be desperate to have secured safety by the time they travel to West Ham on the final day but if not, that could be a high-octane shootout for survival. Games against Brighton and Spurs immediately preceding that are too unfriendly as finales go.
Where to pick up points? The three points they picked up by securing their first Premier League win since late January by hammering Tottenham 3-0 in the final match before the international break could prove vital with a tricky-looking remaining schedule. A home fixture against seemingly doomed Burnley is a golden opportunity for Forest to collect three more points and one further win in addition to that could be enough to get over the line. A home game against a mid-table Bournemouth side who may have nothing to play for on the final day could be their best chance.
Tricky contests? Games against three of the current top six still await Forest with trips to Man United and Chelsea on the docket as well as Aston Villa heading to the City Ground just three days after Forest travel to Porto for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. A trip to Wearside to face this season’s surprise package Sunderland at the end of April is also a tough ask.
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Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season far from ideal although, as mentioned above, hosting Bournemouth on the final day could offer a chance to snatch the points required if things aren’t wrapped up by then. A home match against a floundering Newcastle as their antepenultimate fixture could also be worse. Things could be complicated if they are still going in the Europa League by that point, however.
Nottingham Forest secured a vital win over Spurs (AP)
Where to pick up points? At the moment, Spurs can’t pick up points from anywhere… They haven’t won for 14 league matches, with their last Premier League triumph coming against Crystal Palace back in December and their most recent attempt being a 3-0 hammering by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest. On paper, a game away to Wolves at the end of April is a good opportunity for three points, as is a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium three matches from the end of the campaign, but every clash is tough currently. There’s a good chance they may have a new man in charge by the time they face Sunderland on 12 April though and how they could do with a new manager bounce.
Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their recent form, away games at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and Chelsea in May don’t look too fruitful. Even home fixtures with mid-table sides Sunderland, Brighton, plus top-half Everton suddenly look that much more dangerous as well.
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Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide succour.
Tottenham’s loss to Nottingham Forest was hugely damaging (AFP/Getty)
Where to pick up points? Their impressive form since hugely damaging back-to-back defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year have seen West Ham go from doomed to having a genuine chance of survival. They may well be questioning exactly where the form that has seen them claim four wins and three draws from their last 10 league games was earlier in the season but if they can keep it going from here, then a home game against cellar-dwelling Wolves straight after the international break and a trip to struggling Crystal Palace to follow look like brilliant chances to rack up victories. Welcoming Leeds to the London Stadium on the final day also looms incredibly large.
Tricky contests? The Everton (H), Brentford (A), Arsenal (H) run from late April to early May does not look very friendly. The games before and after that run appear to be much better chances to pick up the points the Hammers need to pull off an impressive escape.
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Final straight? If West Ham can get through that three-game stretch with a realistic shot at survival then an away game against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone. The final-day showdown against Daniel Farke’s side could be an all-time classic but won’t be a pretty watch if both sides are still fighting for their lives. However, the fact that the Whites are coming to the London Stadium at least plays into Nuno and co’s hands.
West Ham’s form since the turn of the year has given them a chance of survival (Getty Images)
Verdict?
This could genuinely go in any direction and you’d have to be a brave person to predict the outcome with any confidence.
It will surely all come down to the final day when West Ham host Leeds in a showdown for the ages, Spurs play Everton and Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth. Leeds generally have the kindest fixtures and although the goals have dried up for them recently, they should have enough to survive given the current cushion.
Forest could be adversely affected by their Europa League run and will probably need to have survival wrapped up going into the final couple of games, while West Ham’s crunch period comes straight after the international break. The next two fixtures could make or break the Hammers’ chances.
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Meanwhile, Spurs are in abject form and appear to be on the brink of ditching Igor Tudor. Could a new manager bounce prove sufficient? At this stage, we’ll say no and condemn Tottenham to the Championship for next season. But everything will change week by week.
2 min read Last Updated : Mar 22 2026 | 9:52 AM IST
Senegal’s team jersey will display only one star instead of two at the World Cup this summer, but it has nothing to do with the country being stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) issued a statement to clarify that production of the jerseys by kit manufacturer Puma began in August last year and “manufacturing deadlines and industrial constraints did not allow for the interruption of this ongoing process.”
Senegal went on to win the Africa Cup in January for its second continental crown after winning the 2021 edition, to which its first star refers.
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But the Teranga Lions were surprisingly stripped of the second title on Tuesday when the Confederation of African Football’s appeals board ruled that Senegal forfeited the Jan. 18 final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorization, awarding Morocco a default 3-0 win.
The FSF made no mention of that decision in its statement, where it continued to refer to “our victory” and said it be reflected on the team jersey – after the World Cup.
“Aware of the Senegalese people’s legitimate attachment to their symbols, the FSF wishes to reassure all supporters: the new jerseys incorporating the second star are currently in production. They are scheduled to be available starting next September,” the federation said.
“The FSF apologizes for any misunderstanding this situation may have caused and thanks the supporters for their constant commitment, vigilance, and unwavering attachment to the national team.”
The FSF previously said it will appeal CAF’s unprecedented decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, a process that typically takes a year to deliver a verdict, while the Senegalese government slammed the “grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision” and called for an international investigation “into suspected corruption” within African soccer’s governing body.
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CAF president Patrice Motsepe on Wednesday defended the body against perceptions of favoritism toward Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a soccer superpower.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
That was Ernie Banks, greeting the prospect of a doubleheader with the kind of boyish joy he was known to embody. Banks was a ballplayer, of course. But you can imagine how the sentiment might have translated to golf, especially in the company of Walter Hagen.
Hagen, the game’s original showman, approached life with a mix of competitive fire and carefree indulgence. He chased titles, bagging quite a few, including 11 majors, but he also chased experiences, often blurring the line between the two. One afternoon in 1920, having traveled to England’s Kent coast for the Open Championship, he and fellow pro Jim Barnes went all in on Hagen’s carpe diem ethos. They went out for a casual round, then decided that one round wasn’t enough.
Their solution was a rambling, fence-hopping odyssey across three storied links — Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Royal St. George’s Golf Club and Prince’s Golf Club — stringing together 54 holes in a single, freewheeling day that was perfectly on point for the Hagen brand.
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More than a century later, that escapade lives on as the Hagen 54, an annual pilgrimage that is both a festive outing and an endurance test. Since its inaugural playing in 2025, the event has found a robust audience. The 2026 iteration is already sold out.
But entries are now open for the 2027 edition. The core golf format remains unchanged since Hagen and Barnes blazed their exuberant trail — 54 holes in one continuous push across the three courses — but modern comforts have been added, with caddies, sustenance and camaraderie carrying players from one property to the next. It’s golf on world-class venues, with on-course catering and someone to carry your bag if you’d like.
The 2027 event will take place July 21–22 on the Kent coast. Participants arrive on the evening of July 21 for a welcome reception and BBQ at Royal Cinque Ports, with optional golf that day at Prince’s or Royal Cinque Ports for those who want to warm up. The main event begins the following morning with a 5:40 a.m. shotgun start, playing in fourballs across the Hagen Route. It makes for an exhausting but exhilarating day. The entry fee is £1,125 per person (about $1,500) or £4,500 (about $6,000) for a foursome.
The Arsenal defender has not featured in a Three Lions camp since leaving the squad under dramatic circumstances during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with White subsequently asking not to be considered for selection by then-manager Gareth Southgate.
The rift stemmed from a reported falling out with former England assistant Steve Holland, who allegedly claimed that White was not sufficiently interested in football.
White has since been on a self-imposed England exile, one that was not resolved during the interim reign of Lee Carsley following Southgate’s departure in the summer of 2024, but has now been lured back into the fold by Tuchel.
Ben White is back in the England squad (Getty Images)
He replaces Jarell Quansah in the squad for March’s internationals against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March, with the Bayer Leverkusen defender dealing with a thigh injury, while Gunners teammate Eberechi Eze has also been ruled out due to a calf problem.
Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes has been chosen to fill the void left by Eze, whose only appearance for the senior team came in October 2020.
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Tuchel had spoken positively about a return for White, saying in August of last year that he was “delighted” to see him back in training after recurring knee problems.
“We were monitoring the process and huge compliments to the medical and performance department of the FA. And thanks to everyone at Arsenal to let us monitor closely so we are on it, speaking to Ben that we are delighted that he is back on the bench,” Tuchel said. “He wants to be back, he’s glad to be back.”
Thomas Tuchel has lured White back into the England fold (PA Wire)
White only has four England caps to his name and has not played for the Three Lions since a 3-0 friendly win against the Ivory Coast in March 2022.
He did not feature at the Qatar World Cup that year and ruled himself out of contention for Euro 2024.
But speaking on his selection for the March internationals, Tuchel insisted a player’s absence from a previous tournament will not be a factor in deciding who goes to this summer’s World Cup.
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“No, it’s not interesting to me if someone was at a tournament, or is now at their first tournament,” Tuchel said.
“It’s interesting how we’re trying to build the group, and I want to arrive with a strong group, and I want to be absolutely certain that we have a group that can enjoy weeks and weeks and weeks together. That we have the energy right, and we have the chemistry right.”
White has made just seven Premier League appearances this season for leaders Arsenal but has played in eight of their 10 Champions League games, with the club staring down the barrel of a quarter-final tie against Sporting CP.
He started Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, which saw Arsenal lose 2-0 as their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple went up in smoke.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba played a pivotal role in the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning run during the 2025 season, and on Monday, he got paid for his efforts.
Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with $120 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. He will now become the highest-paid receiver in NFL history with a $42.15 million annual average value of the contract.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs the ball during the third quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026.(Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images)
The Seahawks selected Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He didn’t turn into a full-time starting receiver until the 2024 season, which he earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
Smith-Njigba’s value to the team grew exponentially in 2025. He had 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns with Sam Darnold slinging him the pill. The receiving yardage total led the NFL.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) looks on during the Super Bowl LX parade on Feb. 11, 2026.(Kevin Ng/Imagn Images)
The 2025 season was the first year he was able to compete in the playoffs. In three games, he had 17 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He had four catches for 27 yards in Super Bowl LV against the New England Patriots, but he didn’t really need to do much for the team to win.
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Smith-Njigba will enter his fourth NFL season with a different offensive coordinator but a similar roster on offense.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field on Dec. 18, 2025.(Kevin Ng/Imagn Images)
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