Comedian and social media influencer Druski has received a lot of criticism this month for how he conducted himself at the “NFL Honors” in San Francisco.

Druski was tasked with announcing the AP Offensive Player of the Year. That award went to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished the regular season with 119 receptions for 1,793 yards with 10 touchdowns.

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Unfortunately, Druski decided to have fun with Smith-Njigba’s name and intentionally mispronounce it. That joke didn’t sit well with the public. In fact, former Fox Sports personality Emmanuel Acho ripped Druski during a recent podcast episode.

“Know the time and the place. And when it’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s time and it’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s place, then just say his name right, fix your face, and keep it moving. And what ran me hot about that is like, Druski, that moment was not about you,” Acho said, via Awful Announcing. “And also, names carry weight. Names are significant. Especially family names. Names are powerful. And you want to take the time at the Super Bowl to now decide you know what, I’m gonna get a joke off. I’m gonna have a viral moment. We spent so much more time talking about Druski mispronouncing his name than we spent talking about the actual player who dominated the game. That makes no sense to me.”

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) is interviewed after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images© Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) is interviewed after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images© Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

(© Kevin Ng-Imagn Images)Druski breaks his silence.

While on “CBS Mornings” this Thursday, Druski was asked about his pronunciation of Smith-Njigba’s name. He revealed that he reached out to the Seahawks star about this situation.

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“I like to mess around. You know, sometimes, you can go too far. I reached out [to Smith-Njigba],” Druski said. “Congratulations to him, the team on the Super Bowl. I think that was an amazing thing. I didn’t get no response back, but I did reach out, I tried.”

Even though Druski said he may have gone too far, it doesn’t sound like he regrets his “NFL Honors” joke.

“When you talk abut walking the line of comedy, sometimes you do have to take that chance,” Druski said. “I think it’s not all going to be a successful hit.”

This story was originally published by The Spun on Feb 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.