The Seattle Seahawks are just 24 hours away from kicking off the defense of their Super Bowl title, and they will open the year against the team they just took down in the final game of last season, the New England Patriots. There’s no doubt that the Pats are going to be looking for some revenge, but the Seahawks are well-positioned to defeat them again.
However, some recent injury developments could throw a wrench in Seattle’s game plan. All offseason long, one guy whose status for Week 1 has been up in the air is safety Nick Emmanwori, as he has been working his way back to full health after undergoing ankle surgery during the offseason. With the Seahawks revealing their game statuses for their players on Tuesday, all eyes turned to Emmanwori to see if he will be able to play.
Seahawks List Nick Emmanwori as Questionable for Patriots Clash
A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Emmanwori ended up unexpectedly becoming a wildly important piece of Seattle’s defense as a rookie. A Swiss Army knife who can wear several different hats, Emmanwori’s ability to fill a handful of roles is part of what makes the Seahawks’ defense so effective.
In 14 games last season, Emmanwori racked up 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and 11 pass breakups, which helped him earn a second-place finish in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race. A safety by trade, Emmanwori can play deep down the field in coverage, but he’s at his best when he’s given the freedom to roam in the box. Heck, there were times when Emmanwori lined up on the defensive line last season.
Over the offseason, Emmanwori underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean up an ankle injury. Despite getting activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list back in August, Emmanwori didn’t practice at all during training camp, which seemingly gave him a very slim shot at playing in Week 1. However, Emmanwori has been practicing on a limited basis in the buildup to this game, and Seattle is leaving the door open for him to play, as he’s been listed as questionable for the game.
Seahawks are listing S Nick Emmanwori and WR Tory Horton as questionable for tomorrow against the Patriots. S Ty Okada is out,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported in a post on X.
Seahawks Hoping Nick Emmanwori Can Play in Week 1
It’s only Week 1, so the Seahawks aren’t going to throw caution to the wind when it comes to Emmanwori and his injury situation this early into the season. With fellow safety Ty Okada already being ruled out for this game, though, Seattle could be in a tough spot at safety if Emmanwori can’t play.
At the very least, Emmanwori has given himself a shot to play, but it seems like he is trending towards being a game time decision, with his status not set to be determined until closer to kickoff. With the game scheduled to get underway at 8:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday night, all eyes will be on Emmanwori to see if he can get himself on the field for the team’s season opener.
Seahawks Announce Nick Emmanwori’s Final Injury Status for Patriots Rematch