Mike McDonald drops the mic on Nick Emanvory’s Super Bowl status

The Seattle Seahawks fans can breathe easy. The team’s latest injury report before Super Bowl LX on Sunday against the New England Patriots confirmed that rookie defensive back Nick Emanwori is clean and ready to take the field on Sunday. After missing Thursday’s practice due to an ankle injury he suffered earlier this week, Emanwori returned as a full participant on Friday and currently does not have game status.

Head coach Mike Macdonald succinctly summed up Emanvori’s status in comments to ESPN reporter Kalyn Kahler, speaking:

“No tag for Nick. Turns out he’s alive.”

Macdonald made the remark after Seattle completed a typical ACT (alignment, communication and technique) session on Friday, something he described as part of the team’s standard weekly preparation process.

Emanwori injured his ankle during training on Wednesday after rolling him while defending a pass on an exit route. He left the court under his own power and did not return that day, then adjourned Thursday’s session. Emmanuel and Macdonald made the announcement on Thursday they expected him to be available for the Super Bowlthe prediction was borne out when he fully participated in practice on Friday.

The availability of starters is a big deal for the Seahawks defense. Selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Emanwori 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 had six tackles and four pass defenses in two games, including three pass breakups in the NFC Championship Game along with a fumble recovery.

Officially, Emanwori moved in various places in MacDonald’s scheme. He matched up in the slot, played in the box as a linebacker and contributed as a blitzer. That versatility allowed Seattle to vary its coverage and pressure packages throughout the season.

The overall injury picture for the Seahawks remains favorable. Of the 53 players on the roster, 51 practiced in full on Friday. Running back Robbie Uzts is Seattle’s only player with a game tag, listed as questionable with a neck injury after limited participation all week. Backup tackle Josh Jones was limited but didn’t get the tag. Starting left tackle Charles Cross and quarterback Sam Darnold were full participants. Darnold, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury since mid-January, has practiced fully on back-to-back days and does not have a game tag.

As for the Patriots, quarterback Drake May practiced fully all week and has no injury marks after dealing with a shoulder issue last week. New England listed linebacker Robert Spillane (ankle), tight end Harold Landry (knee) and defensive lineman Joshua Farmer (hamstring) as questionable, though all three will still play. Landry led the Patriots with 8.5 sacks during the regular season, while Spillane calls the defensive play when he’s on the field.