Jaxon Smith-Njigba entered the NFL struggling with a chronic hamstring injury. He has now overcome the issue, all thanks to a cleat change the Seattle Seahawks suggested after a high-tech foot scan.
During his final season at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba played only three games due to a nagging hamstring injury. This raised concerns that his draft stock might fall in 2023, but the Seahawks ultimately selected him with the 20th overall pick and Mike Macdonald now knows there’s no ceiling for the WR.
Upon his arrival, the Seahawks knew they needed to address JSN’s health. Recently, the team’s Director of Equipment, Erik Kennedy, revealed that a foot scan and a change in cleat size helped the wide receiver leave his hamstring issues behind.
“You’re always trying to find little edges that can help players,” Kennedy said on The John Schneider Show. “Let’s just say Jaxon Smith-Njigba, you were talking him about in college, he was wearing a size 12, had hamstring issues and things like that. Gets here, he’s a 10 1/2. . . . It’s helped him, right? He hasn’t missed time and done things like that. That helps build the trust for us with the players.”
The Seahawks are prioritizing player health
The Seahawks didn’t just fix Smith-Njigba’s issues; they’ve applied this philosophy to the entire roster. The secret? Custom-made gear for every player, and it has worked pretty well so far.
Kennedy added that JSN’s foot scan—which revealed he was wearing a size 12 when he actually needed a 10.5—prompted the organization to re-evaluate everyone. Following these checkups, the team shifted to custom helmets, cleats, and shoulder pads to minimize injury risks.
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“What we get into is the helmet, to protect the players, everything should be custom, right?” Kennedy said. “We’ve gotten to the point we believe everything’s custom, and John and those guys and the ownership and everybody’s afforded us the opportunity to go out and chase and do those things where wearing the top helmets, wearing custom shoulder pads that are scanned to the body, scanning the feet, like getting to the point where you’re basically scanning everything to fit the person, and then having the crew to be able to do it. There’s five of us full-time guys that do it.”
A solid ownership leads to success
The Seahawks are proof that an organization that takes care of its players is rewarded with success. Three years after JSN’s arrival and the implementation of custom-made gear, a Super Bowl title returned to Seattle with their Super Bowl LX victory.
Estate of Paul G. Allen Begins Sale Process for Seattle Seahawks pic.twitter.com/Toj3CjClzP
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) February 18, 2026
While the club is now for sale, the current ownership has set a perfect blueprint for success for the next owners. Fans hope the new leadership continues these innovative practices to build a dynasty in the near future.
