The Seattle Seahawks will be short-handed at safety in the first game of the NFL season against the New England Patriots. Their top safety, Nick Emmanwori has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Rotational safety Ty Okada, who played in every game for the Seahawks last season, including the Super Bowl, is also out.
Seahawks Nick Emmanwori officially is out tonight due to an ankle injury. https://t.co/wwiHI5HgH3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2026
As a rookie last season, Emmanwori played in 14 games with an interception, 11 passes defended, and 2.5 sacks, and was the runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. In coverage, he allowed a nearly 75 percent completion percentage and three touchdowns.
He missed most of training camp recovering from his offseason ankle surgery and was
removed from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list in mid-August. Emmanwori practiced in camp after that in a limited capacity, but is still not ready for the opener. It is unclear whether or not he will be able to play in Seattle’s next game against the Arizona Cardinals.
With both Emmanwori and Okada out in the opener, the Seahawks are down to just three safeties: Julian Love, who played in eight games last season; AJ Finley, who has not played in an NFL game since the 2024 season; and Rodney Thomas II, who spent the past four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Finley and Thomas were both on the practice squad before being placed on the active roster.
Between A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Hunter Henry, and New England’s playmakers, this underhanded secondary is going to have its hands full in the opener. However, the Patriots are also down one of their top players, running back TreVeyon Henderson.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori out for season opener versus Patriots
