The Seattle Seahawks were crowned champions in last NFL season after defeating New England in Super Bowl LX, and now the goal is set on defending their title. Sam Darnold has emerged as one of the standout stars, but he was also surrounded by immense talent that made its own contributions.
On the defensive side, Nick Emmanwori has had an outstanding rookie season, establishing himself as one of the key assets at his position. Even so, the safety knows he hasn’t reached his ceiling and will aim to keep improving in the upcoming season.
“It’s exciting for me because I can’t wait to go to the offseason and put the work in,” Emmanwori said recently on The Richard Sherman Podcast. “I know I’m just scratching the surface. I’m thinking of my prime, like how can I get to my prime?
“In my mind, this is just stuff that I’m putting together, but when I put everything together as far as the coverage and the pass rush and the playbook and just seeing the game, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
The pivotal moment before the Super Bowl
Although Emmanwori’s first NFL season was outstanding, it’s clear that one of the most important moments for the former South Carolina player came in the divisional matchup against Matthew Stafford’s Rams.
“That was definitely a cool moment. I just remember being in my zone that game. I was in the zone. … It was just natural,” he said. “Whatever’s in the scheme, whatever’s in the playbook, I would flawlessly kind of just adjust to it and I can just make those plays.
“So it was like, I’m guarding the running back, making the play, guarding Puka in the slot, like guarding Davante Adams. Setting the edge, getting off blocks. I was just really in the zone that game and we were just focused. It was just a different feeling.”
Once again led by Darnold
The Seattle Seahawks are looking to reclaim their spot at the top of the NFC with Sam Darnold leading the offense. By pairing Darnold’s veteran experience with their explosive young playmakers, the team aims to build a high-powered scoring unit capable of a deep postseason run. With a revamped strategy and a focus on consistency, Seattle is betting on this new partnership to guide them back to the Super Bowl.