Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba stole the spotlight for all the reasons in Sunday's 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. However, head coach Mike Macdonald hinted that Smith-Njigba had dealt with challenges before the game without revealing further details.

“He's tremendous,” said Macdonald. “I don't know how else to describe him. He's had some adversity this week. Just going to leave it like that. But just really proud of him as a person. As a person, competitor, teammate, how do you not just have the most respect for the guy and love him for how he operates?”

Smith-Njigba finished with nine receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. His 867 receiving yards through seven games are tied with Lance Alworth's 1965 total for the eighth-highest mark in NFL history at that stage. He also became the sixth player ever to record six 100-yard receiving performances within his team's opening seven games.

The 24-year-old's eight receiving touchdowns lead the league. He is the first player in the Super Bowl era to accumulate at least 850 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches through seven games, according to ESPN Research.

His second-quarter, 27-yard touchdown came after quarterback Sam Darnold adjusted the play before the snap and threw a pass along the left sideline. Smith-Njigba beat one-on-one coverage from cornerback Mansoor Delane. Kansas City had entered the contest without allowing a receiving touchdown to an opposing wideout during their 5-0 start.

Smith-Njigba also played a pivotal role on third downs, accounting for four of Seattle's 11 conversions on 16 attempts. His 33-yard catch-and-run was the Seahawks' longest play of the night.

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Seattle's offensive success complemented a stellar defensive display. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 165 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, while former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III managed just 36 yards on 14 carries. The three points Kansas City mustered tied its lowest output in a game started by Mahomes.

Darnold completed 71% of his passes for 257 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Seattle also rushed 41 times for 153 yards, with running back Emanuel Wilson contributing 100 yards.

The victory improved the Seahawks to 4-3 after a difficult stretch in which they lost three of four games. They will host the 5-2 Chicago Bears next in Week 8.