Is Nick Emmanwori playing? Seattle Seahawks injury update ahead of the Super Bowl

With Super Bowl LX just days away, the Seattle Seahawks held their breath on Wednesday when star rookie safety Nick Emmanwori went down during practice. The Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist suffered an ankle injury late in the session while defending a pass, sparking immediate concern across the Pacific Northwest.

However, as the team prepares to face the New England Patriots in Santa Clara, the latest updates suggest the "X-factor" of Mike Macdonald’s defense will be ready for kickoff.

A sigh of relief for Seattle Seahawks as Nick Emmanwori is all set to play

After Emmanwori limped off the field at San Jose State University, he underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the damage. On Thursday, Head Coach Mike Macdonald provided the news fans were waiting for: Emmanwori suffered a low ankle sprain, a significantly less severe injury than the high ankle sprain that sidelined him earlier in the regular season.

"He rolled his ankle, and he’s got a low ankle sprain," Macdonald told reporters. "He’s doing great and moving around. We fully expect him to play." The coach noted that the team would be "overly cautious" during the final days of practice to ensure their prized rookie is at 100% for Sunday.Losing Emmanwori would have been a massive blow to the Seahawks' top-ranked scoring defense. As a second-round pick out of South Carolina, he has become the Swiss Army knife of Macdonald’s scheme. This season, he recorded:

His ability to play deep safety, cover the slot, or blitz from the box allows the Seahawks to remain unpredictable, a necessity when facing a high-IQ offense like New England's.

Emmanwori himself echoed his coach’s optimism on Thursday, telling the media he felt "super relieved" after the medical report. While he may be limited in the final walkthroughs, all signs point to him taking his usual spot in the secondary.The Seahawks are no strangers to secondary scares before a Patriots Super Bowl, fans will remember Kam Chancellor playing through a torn MCL in Super Bowl XLIX. While the stakes are just as high this time around, Emmanwori’s youth and the "low" nature of the sprain make a return much more likely. For now, Seattle can breathe, their defensive engine is still on track for the big game.