The Seattle Seahawks fans can breathe easy. The team’s final injury report before Super Bowl LX on Sunday against the New England Patriots confirmed that rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori is all clear and ready to take the field on Sunday. After missing Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury suffered earlier in the week, Emmanwori returned as a full participant on Friday and currently has no game-status designation.
Head coach Mike Macdonald summed up Emmanwori’s status succinctly in comments to ESPN pool reporter Kalyn Kahler, saying:
“No designation for Nick. Turns out he’s alive.”
Macdonald made the remark after Seattle finished a typical Friday session that centered around ACT (alignment, communication, and technique), something he described as part of the team’s standard weekly preparation process.
Emmanwori injured his ankle during Wednesday’s practice after rolling it while defending a pass on an out route. He walked off the field under his own power and did not return that day, then sat out Thursday’s session. Emmanwori and Macdonald both stated Thursday that they expected him to be available for the Super Bowl, a prediction affirmed when he fully participated in Friday’s practice.
The rookie’s availability is a big deal for the Seahawks defense. Selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Emmanwori appeared in 14 regular-season games and recorded 81 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception, 11 pass breakups, and nine tackles for loss. In the postseason, he has garnered six tackles and four passes defensed over two games, including three pass breakups in the NFC Championship Game, along with a fumble recovery.
Officially a safety, Emmanwori has been moving around to different spots in Macdonald’s scheme. He has aligned in the slot, played in the box as a linebacker-type defender, and contributed as a blitzer. That versatility has allowed Seattle to vary its coverage and pressure packages throughout the season.
The Seahawks’ overall injury picture remains favorable. Out of 53 players on the roster, 51 practiced fully on Friday. Fullback Robbie Ouzts is the only Seattle player with a game designation, listed as questionable due to a neck injury after limited participation all week. Backup tackle Josh Jones was limited but did not receive a designation. Starting left tackle Charles Cross and quarterback Sam Darnold were both full participants. Darnold, who’s been coping with an oblique injury since mid-January, has practiced fully for consecutive days and has no game designation.
On the Patriots’ side, quarterback Drake Maye practiced fully throughout the week and has no injury designation after dealing with a shoulder issue last week. New England listed linebacker Robert Spillane (ankle), edge rusher Harold Landry (knee), and defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (hamstring) as questionable, though all three are still likely to play. Landry led the Patriots with 8.5 sacks during the regular season, while Spillane calls defensive plays when on the field.
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