Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori takes big step toward return from surgery

The Seattle Seahawks shared some great news about second-year safety Nick Emmanwori on Tuesday morning.

Seattle Seahawks’ most impressive player at training camp is clear

Emmanwori, who has been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since training camp started after undergoing ankle surgery last month, has passed his physical. An article from the Seahawks’ official website termed passing the physical as an “important step in (Emmanwori’s) return.”

The 22-year-old Emmanwori was an integral part as a rookie for head coach Mike Macdonald’s Super Bowl-winning Seahawks team, playing a hybrid role and factoring into all phases of the defensive gameplan. The versatile playmaker had 11 passes defended, nine tackles for loss and an interception in 14 games in the regular season, and he finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Nick Emmanwori comes flying off the edge to block the FG!

SEAvsATL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/K2O5uCVvEE

— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025

Ankle woes were an issue last season for Emmanwori, who was a 2025 second-round NFL Draft pick out of South Carolina by the Seahawks. He missed three games after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, then his availability for the Super Bowl was in jeopardy after he suffered a low ankle sprain in the week leading up to the title game. Emmanwori proved healthy enough to play in Seattle’s victory over the New England Patriots, though, playing 98.6% of the team’s defensive snaps (70).

Emmanwori’s recovery from the ankle surgery was a storyline in last week’s debut episode of the Seahawks’ season of “Hard Knocks,” the long-running NFL documentary series from HBO that is covering Seattle’s current training camp. Emmanwori was shown talking to Macdonald in the coach’s office about wheeling around team headquarters on a knee scooter, including in front of fans during practices.

Mike Macdonald always keeps perspective around any outside noise 💯

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the @Seahawks premieres tonight at 9pm ET on @HBOMax pic.twitter.com/bGszbwD0Xa

— NFL (@NFL) August 4, 2026

Seattle Seahawks news and more

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