After trio of injuries, Seahawks’ Nwosu back in sack column

Dec 28, 2024, 12:20 PM | Updated: 1:40 pm

Seattle Sports

Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu immediately rolled onto one knee, folded his hands and bowed his head for a quick prayer on the rainy Soldier Field grass.

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Nwosu had just recorded his first sack in 451 days, taking down rookie quarterback Caleb Williams on the final play of the third quarter in Seattle’s smothering 6-3 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.

It was a milestone moment for the 27-year-old Nwosu, who had battled through three significant injuries since his last sack nearly 15 months ago.

“I was giving my thanks to God, because without Him, this long road wouldn’t have even been possible – I wouldn’t even be in this position,” Nwosu said. “So I was just giving my thanks. I’m just blessed to be in that position.”

After a career-high 9.5-sack campaign during his first season with the Seahawks in 2022, Nwosu signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension with the franchise in July 2023. He was on track to be a focal point in Seattle’s defense.

But since then, his tenure has been marked by injuries.

Nwosu was sidelined for the final 11 games of 2023 with a torn pectoral muscle. He missed the first four games of this season with a sprained MCL, which occurred in the Aug. 24 preseason finale when he took a shot to the knee on a cut block from Cleveland Browns right guard Wyatt Teller. Nwosu returned in Week 5, but played just 20 snaps before suffering a quad injury that sidelined him for the next seven games.

“It’s been tough,” Nwosu said earlier this month. “Pretty much my whole career I’ve dealt with little injuries, but nothing that’s kept me out for this long. … I feel like it’s really things that have kind of been out of my control, especially with the knee injury that I had. And then one thing leads to another.

“So it’s just kind of refiguring myself out, and just trusting my process and knowing that I know my career is going to be great (and) I’m going to still be the same player I am.”

Chen 🔟 takes him down. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SAqksefcbb

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 27, 2024

‘A long time coming’

Nwosu eased back into the lineup on Dec. 8, playing 21 snaps in Seattle’s Week 14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The 6-foot-2, 251-pounder’s playing time steadily increased in the ensuing weeks, up to a season-high 41 snaps on Thursday night.

On one of those snaps, Nwosu broke through.

Rushing off the right edge, Nwosu capitalized on a blitz by rookie linebacker Tyrice Knight that left Chicago left tackle Larry Borom in a two-on-one bind. Borom slid over and attempted to stop Knight, which gave Nwosu a clear shot at the quarterback.

The elusive Williams tried to spin out to the left, but Nwosu wasn’t fooled. Nwosu brought down the No. 1 overall draft pick for his first quarterback takedown since Week 4 of 2023, when he registered two sacks in a victory over the New York Giants.

“It felt really good,” Nwosu said. “Just coming off the year that I’ve had – missing so much time and dealing with injuries – it just felt good to finally go out there and get one. (It was) a long time coming.”

On the very next play, Nwosu leaped into the air and batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage.

“I’m definitely getting a lot more comfortable – trusting myself and my body a lot more,” Nwosu said. “That first game in Arizona was kind of a warmup. … Last week (against the) Vikings, I kind of let it loose (and) didn’t think about it. Same thing today. I’m getting more comfortable being on the field, making change-of-direction plays and hitting again.”

Nwosu was one of six different Seahawks to record a sack in the team’s seven-sack onslaught Thursday night. His return has added another proven pass rusher to Seattle’s formidable defensive front, which features five players with four-plus sacks this season: Leonard Williams (nine), Derick Hall (eight), Boye Mafe (six), Jarran Reed (4.5) and Dre’Mont Jones (four).

As Leonard Williams explained, Nwosu’s presence should create even more opportunities for the whole group.

“I love being on his side of the ball,” said Williams, who was college teammates with Nwosu for one season at USC back in 2014. “It showed up today. I’m in my three-point stance and I’m feeling like it’s a run and he’s like, ‘Leo, pass, pass, pass.’ Those small details allow me to play a little bit faster, so having guys like that next to you makes a big difference.”

Nwosu’s two injury-marred seasons certainly haven’t gone the way he or the Seahawks envisioned. But after all he’s been through, his sack on Thursday night was a gratifying moment.

“If you just pause time and think about the journey that he’s been in, it’s pretty awesome,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said of Nwosu’s sack. “It was pretty cool.”