Although Seattle Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori suffered a low-ankle sprain during practice Wednesday, he told reporters Thursday that he’ll “be good to go” Sunday for Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.
Emmanwori, who the Seahawks selected out of South Carolina early in the second round of last year’s draft, has started the past 10 games for Seattle, including the playoffs.
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The injury he’s dealing with now is to his right ankle, the same one he hurt in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, although that high-ankle sprain was more severe, Emmanwori clarified.
“Not sure how extensive, if at all, he’s going to practice,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, per The Athletic.
“But he’s confident. Got a great plan. Fully expect him to play. … He’s doing great and moving around.”
Emmanwori, a finalist for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, has done a bit of everything for a vaunted Seahawks defense during his first season in the NFL. He ranked third on the team with 11 passes defended and 81 total tackles. Plus, he added 2.5 sacks and an interception.
In the regular season and postseason combined, he’s lined up 420 snaps in the slot, 329 in the box, 103 along the defensive line, 15 on the outside corner, and seven at deep safety, according to Pro Football Focus.
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Emmanwori explained that his most recent ankle issue sprouted toward the end of Wednesday’s practice when he rolled his ankle.
He noted that practice was “nothing crazy” and that the injury took him by surprise.
“Nobody really wants to get hurt or banged up during the Super Bowl week, or any week at that, so it just kind of caught me off guard. It was just a little scare,” Emmanwori said, per Gregg Bell of The News Tribune.
Emmanwori said it felt different than his Week 1 setback, which cost him the subsequent three games.
“I feel like I could walk off on my own and just had to give it a break,” he said. “It feels good.”
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Macdonald said the Seahawks will be “overcautious” with Emmanwori in the coming days to make sure he’s all set for Sunday’s matchup.
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