Macdonald's historic coaching season and Smith-Njigba's offensive explosion earn them coveted AP NFL Honors finalist nods.
The NFL season is winding down and the playoffs are in full swing, which means that the AP finalists for the regular season awards have been revealed.
And after their record-setting season, the Seattle Seahawks are being compensated with appropriate recognition.
The NFC West powerhouse had one of, if not their best season since they played their first season in 1976, and head coach Mike Macdonald was rewarded with being named a finalist for the Coach of the Year award.
The 14 wins the club finished with is the most in their team's history, and their three losses are the fewest they have finished with since the 2013 season.
And in case you forgot, the Seahawks were able to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of that season.
It is also the first time since 2020 that Seattle has been able to win the NFC West, and Macdonald did all of this in just his second season as head coach.
If Seattle's superstar crew chief took home the honor, he would be the first since Chuck Knox sine 1984 to win the award with the Seahawks.
As for the team's other finalist, it is a surprise to nobody that superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the players who was named a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year.
The 23-year-old wideout was named to his second Pro Bowl in his three year career, as well as his first All-Pro nod.
Smith-Njigba led the entire NFL in receiving yards with 1,793, was fourth in the league in receptions, and also added 10 touchdowns to his already historic season.
Both his reception and receiving yards numbers set new record for the Seahawks in a single season, and it is more than worthy of a finalist nod for one of the league's most prestigious awards.
Running back Shaun Alexander is the one and only player to ever win the OPOY with the Seahawks, as he did so with his spectacular 1,880 rushing yard season.
With a record-setting season like JSN's, he could be a serious candidate for the award, and he would be only the second player in franchise history to take home the honor.
The Seahawks will be facing off against the rival Los Angeles Rams this Sunday in the team's first NFC Championship appearance since 2014.
Smith-Njigba and Macdonald will be looking to continue their spectacular season with a win to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade.