The Seattle Seahawks will be without wide receiver Tory Horton when they begin their Super Bowl title defense Wednesday.
The Seahawks announced with their inactive list Wednesday evening Horton will not dress for the Week 1 matchup versus the New England Patriots. Horton was one of seven players included on the inactive list released an hour and a half prior to kickoff.
Along with Horton, safety Nick Emmanwori, quarterback Jalen Milroe, safety Ty Okada, guard Beau Stephens, tight end Nick Kallerup and defensive end Mike Morris will be inactive for the Seahawks in Week 1. Milroe will serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Horton entered the season opener questionable because of a hamstring injury. Okada is also dealing with a hamstring concern.
If there’s any good news, with the team’s first game Wednesday, the wideout will have a week and a half before Seattle’s Week 2 matchup. But the team will have to get through the AFC champion Patriots without him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp and Montorie Foster Jr. will be Seattle’s available wide receivers for the game.
The Seahawks and Patriots are meeting in the first Week 1 Super Bowl rematch in 10 years. Kickoff between the two clubs will be at 5:20 pm PT at Lumen Field.
Seahawks Rule out WR Tory Horton for Week 1 vs. Patriots
The Seahawks will likely feel Horton’s absence the most on special teams.
Last season as a rookie, Horton returned 16 punts for an average of nearly 15 yards per return. He also took one back for a touchdown.
The Seahawks brought back Shaheed, who the team acquired at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, in NFL free agency. Shaheed is a dynamic returner who could minimize Horton’s absence. But the Seahawks won’t have depth in the key special teams role versus the Patriots.
In his second season this fall, Horton is also expected to take a step forward as a receiver. During 2025, he had 13 receptions, 161 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 22 targets in eight games.
Seahawks Begin Super Bowl Title Defense
Horton and the two safeties on the inactive list, Emmanwori and Okada, are significant losses for Seattle to overcome in Week 1. As the Seahawks did in the Super Bowl, they could turn to the offensive backfield for help.
But without MVP Kenneth Walker III, rookie running back Jadarian Price could play a major role. The Seahawks will also have George Holani and Emanuel Wilson available at running back.
On the outside, Smith-Njigba, Shaheed and Kupp will try to make up for the loss of Horton. In particular, Smith-Njigba is looking to have a much stronger performance against the Patriots than he did in the Super Bowl.
Although the Seahawks obviously won the game, the NFL’s 2025 Offensive Player of the Year had just four catches for 27 yards versus the New England defense in the big game.
The Seahawks and Patriots are squaring off in the NFL’s first Week 1 Super Bowl rematch in 10 years. Defending champions are 8-3 in Week 1 since the start of the 2014 campaign.
Seahawks Make Final Call on WR Tory Horton for Patriots Opener