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Ja’Marr Chase Was Caught Taking Lowkey Shot At Jaxson Smith-Njigba On Podcast [VIDEO]

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Ja’Marr Chase and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Photo Via X and Imagn Images)

Ja’Marr Chase has never hidden his belief in what an elite wide receiver should look like. The Bengals star recently talked about Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba and asked an interesting question about how defenses are playing him.

Chase discussed Smith-Njigba while speaking with NFL legend Chad Ochocinco on his Chasing No. 1 show. After watching Smith-Njigba make an impressive route, Chase wondered why teams had not started giving the Seahawks star more attention.

“I seen JSN run a crazy route … why he ain’t getting doubled yet? That’s what I be tryna figure out,” Chase said.

This sounded like praise for Smith-Njigba, but there was also a hidden message. Chase also knows what extra defensive attention means, and teams often build their game plans around stopping their opponent’s top offensive star.

Ja’Marr Chase Knows What It Takes To Draw Double Coverage

Jaxon Smith-Njigba smiling
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Photo via Imagn Images)

Smith-Njigba has quickly moved into the NFL’s top receiver conversation. He led the league with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025 and even won AP Offensive Player of the Year, though he did make a funny slip-up when announcing it on Instagram.

His strong start to the 2026 season has added to that discussion. Through two games, Smith-Njigba has caught 17 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns.

Chase, meanwhile, has nine catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns through the same stretch. The Bengals have started 2-0, giving Chase a strong chance to chase his bigger goals this season.

Chase wants Cincinnati to reach the AFC Championship Game. He also wants the Bengals to finish the job with a Super Bowl win.

That kind of focus shows why Chase cares about more than just his own stats. He knows that star receivers change the way defenses play the entire offense. He also said, “I got doubled on second and ten by a linebacker in a corner. Yeah. I really thought I was confused. I thought, I ain’t really know what was going on.”

His words also show the real mutual respect between two young stars. Chase gave Smith-Njigba huge credit for his route running and ability to get wide open, which is why he’s so surprised teams aren’t double-teaming him more often.

If Smith-Njigba keeps playing like this, the extra defenders will definitely come his way soon. And for Chase, with the Bengals sitting at 2-0, his numbers are already turning into the wins he really cares about.

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