The pronunciation guide is your friend.
That’s the lesson for Druski, who went viral for trashing Jaxon Smith-Ngiba’s name. The comedian was one of the hosts of the 2026 NFL Honors, announcing the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award. The trophy was the first of two for the Seattle Seahawks star receiver that weekend, the other being the Lombardi Trophy following Super Bowl 60.
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However, Smith-Ngiba’s personal victory was overshadowed by Druskey’s moment, for which he has apologized.
“I like to mess around, and sometimes you can take it too far,” Druski said during a Feb. 19 appearance on “CBS Mornings,” adding that it’s not the easiest name to pronounce. “I congratulated him, the Super Bowl team. I thought it was a great thing. Yeah, I didn’t get any response, but I did reach out and I tried.”
The comedian shifted gears, pointing out that not all comedy is well-received by audiences.
“When we talk about going the comedy route, sometimes you really have to take the opportunity,” he said. “I don’t think it’s all success. When you’re trying to pursue greatness, nothing you do is going to be success, success, success.”
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Smith-Njiba did not attend the NFL Honors Ceremony because he was preparing to participate in Super Bowl 60. Barry Sanders, who was on the stage next to Druski when the moment happened, seemed upset, but the Seahawks shared their reaction on social media.
Even if Druski doesn’t know the name, NFL fans certainly will after the 2025 season.
Smith-Ngiba has taken his game to another level this season, recording a league-high 1,793 receiving yards while finishing with 119 catches and 10 touchdowns. He was also a first-team All-Pro selection and selected to the Pro Bowl.
The star receiver may not consider himself a comedian, but he certainly had the last laugh in this case.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Druski apologizes to Jaxon Smith-Ngiba, but has not yet received a response