Seahawks Safety Nick Emmanwori Suffers Ankle Injury Days Before Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks are down a key defender, Nick Emmanwori, after he suffered an ankle injury before the Super Bowl.

Seattle Seahawks Safety Nick Emmanwori Suffers Pre-Super Bowl Ankle Injury
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

The Seattle Seahawks added a new name to their injury watch list at the worst possible time.

Safety Nick Emmanwori left Wednesday’s practice in San Jose after hurting his ankle late in the session, according to a pool report released by the Pro Football Writers of America to the Seattle Times.

The rookie was defending a pass when the injury occurred. He was able to walk off the field on his own shortly before 4 p.m., but several teammates and coaches gathered around him before he headed inside.

Seattle later listed Emmanwori as limited.

The severity of the injury isn’t clear yet, but the outlet reported that he’ll undergo imaging to rule out anything serious.

Head coach Mike Macdonald kept his post-practice update short and factual. “He had an ankle today; we brought him in to look at it, and we’ll kind of go from here and figure out what the next steps are,” he said.

Since arriving as a second-round pick in April, Emmanwori has taken on a hybrid role that shifts depending on the defensive call sheet — part nickel corner, part strongside linebacker.

That versatility has kept him on the field in multiple packages and made him a regular presence in the rotation heading into the Super Bowl matchup with the New England Patriots.

Any missed time would force adjustments in a secondary that’s relied on flexibility all season.

The injury lands during a week that’s already heavy with off-field headlines.

Multiple league and ownership sources have indicated that the Seattle Seahawks are expected to be put up for sale after the Super Bowl, a move that would follow long-standing plans tied to the estate of former owner Paul G. Allen.

Since Allen’s death in 2018, the team has been controlled by his estate, with Jody Allen serving as executor.

A spokesperson recently said the organization doesn’t comment on speculation and added there is “no news to share,” but Allen’s directive has been to eventually sell the teams and direct proceeds toward philanthropy.

If the Seahawks go to market, executives around the league believe the price could land between $7 billion and $8 billion, potentially setting a new benchmark for an NFL franchise coming off a championship appearance.

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