The Seattle Seahawks received bad news on Feb. 4 regarding one of their key defensive players ahead of Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.
ESPN senior NFL Kalyn Kahler reported that rookie safety Nick Emmanwori left practice early with an ankle injury. More details will need to emerge to determine whether it’s just a scare and Emmanwori can still play, or whether the injury could affect his availability or limit him.
Emmanwori had 56 solo tackles, 25 assists, 2.5 sacks, and one interception in 14 regular-season games during his rookie season, per StatMuse. As a result, FOX Sports NFL color commentator Tom Brady is giving Emmanwori the “LFG Defensive Rookie of the Year.”
“Listen, there’s some great competition out there,” Brady said in a FOX Sports video posted on Feb. 1. “But the guy that I covered the last two weeks on Seattle’s defense, who does it all, he’s a Joker out there. They play him as basically a nickel defender, and they leave him out there all game.
“Nick Emmanwori, what an animal this guy is. He’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical. He made some game‑changing plays last Sunday in the Championship game, covering people, knocking balls away, past defense, tackles in the run game, [and] aggressive in his run fits. This guy has a very bright future.”
Bills’ Josh Allen Is Rooting for Seahawks’ Sam Darnold
Whether Emmanwori can go or not, the Seahawks will still have QB Sam Darnold, and one of the current top players at the position, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, is pulling for him to win the game.
“He’s just continued to work hard,” Allen said on the Feb. 3 edition of “First Things First.” “He’s been at a few different stops and obviously got his opportunity last year in Minnesota. They let him go, and now he’s playing in the Super Bowl for the Seattle Seahawks. So he’s worked extremely hard for it. And again, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for Sammy D, and I’ll be cheering and pulling for him hard.”
Josh Allen Doesn’t Hold Back on Sam Darnold
Moreover, he went into detail about his rooting interest in Darnold and the Seahawks, which makes sense given that Allen wouldn’t want to see a division rival win a Super Bowl before him.
“I have great respect for both teams, “ Allen added. “I’ve been fortunate to know Coach Vrabel for a little bit. I have a lot of respect for him. Drake Maye, obviously. I’ve got a good relationship with him. But Sam Darnold, that’s my boy. We go back to the draft.
“Even before the draft, we’ve hung out before the draft, when we were in college, we met at, I think, it was the Touchdown Club of Columbus, going into his sophomore year, my junior year. And like I said, we lived pretty close together. We spent a lot of time in the offseason together playing golf and hanging out. So I’m rooting for my man there, who wears No. 14 for the Seattle Seahawks.”
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