No team wants an unexpected injury to pop up ahead of a huge game, especially if the player getting hurt did not have that happen during a game. This has happened to the Seattle Seahawks twice recently.
One was quarterback Sam Darnold straining his oblique ahead of the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers. The issue happened during Wednesday's practice before the game. Darnold played and performed efficiently, as his team won easily.
The Seahawks hope the same thing happens in the Super Bowl, too, but the problem is a different player. Rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori sprained his lower ankle during Wednesday's practice ahead of the game. Thankfully, like Darnold, first appearances were more dire than the eventuality of the injury.
Will Nick Emmanwori be ready as the Seattle Seahawks play the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl?
Nearly immediately, Nick Emmanwori and head coach Mike Macdonald downplayed the extent of the issue and stated the rookie would be available to go against the New England Patriots. While he wasn't practicing, the team still approached the Super Bowl, assuming no doubt existed that the defensive back wouldn't play.
Macdonald even made light of the situation when speaking to the media on Friday, saying, "Turns out he's alive." In other words, because of the significance of the Super Bowl, the injury might have been blown out of proportion.
Of course, ankle injuries can be tricky. Emmanwori might feel fine on Saturday, but wake up in pain on Sunday. The question during the game might be how well he can manage any pain. His speed is extremely important to his productivity, and if he can't run as well as he usually does, the Seahawks might be forced to give him fewer reps.
As all 12s know, Nick Emmanwori has become integral to what the Seattle Seahawks do on defense. His positional flexibility allows him to be lined up nearly anywhere, which disguises Macdonald's pre-snap alignments. His presence has helped make a very good defense a great one.
Unless something happens before kickoff, which is scheduled for 3:30 pm PT at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Nick Emmanwori will play for the Seahawks against the Patriots in Super Bowl 60. Should anything change, this page will be updated with the latest information.