SAN JOSE, Calif. — Mike Macdonald stayed with the typical routine and conducted a walk-and-talk Thursday before the Seattle Seahawks got back to business on the field at San Jose State University.
“Frankly our goal is to be here and win this game, but you can’t do that unless you become a championship team,” Macdonald said. “We have to become the team that can do this. That’s where our focus was — on the process — and not this is where we’re trying to go.”
Quarterback Sam Darnold said several teammates have mentioned to him Super Bowl week feels like training camp again.
“To be able to eat, snack together, things like that you don’t get to do during the course of the regular season,” Darnold said. “Bussing to the practice facility, bussing back. It’s just been a treat to spend the time with the guys and all be together.
“We’ve grown so much throughout this season. Just the love and brotherhood. It’s pretty rare in the NFL in my opinion. It’s been special.”
A big part of the growth process was blending veterans and youth. Seattle starts all six players selected in the first round since 2022 and second-chance stars in their early 30s such as Demarcus Lawrence (33) and Cooper Kupp (32). The same is true of a coaching staff featuring 38-year-old Macdonald. He would become the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl in history behind only Sean McVay (Rams) and Mike Tomlin (Steelers), who were both 36.
“The beauty behind our team is our vets have embraced our rookies,” Macdonald said.
One of Macdonald’s primary sounding boards is assistant head coach Leslie Frazier. He started in the secondary for the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX — beating the Patriots for the Lombardi Trophy in 1986, 18 months before Macdonald was born.
Now Frazier is working with prepping defensive backs such as Devon Witherspoon and rookie safety Nick Emmanwori.
Emmanwori was made available in a change-up from the Seahawks, supporting the team’s assessment that he’s “doing great” after injuring his ankle in Wednesday’s practice and Macdonald said he’s “fully expected to play.”
“Just a little mishap in practice, just rolled my ankle kind of caught me off-guard. I’ll be good to go for Sunday. I’m good though,” Emmanwori said. “I expect to play on Sunday. … Doc told me I’d be good. Super young, healthy. Yeah, I’ll be good to go.”
Emmanwori said the injury took place breaking up a pass at less than full speed. But the ankle wasn’t sore when he woke up Thursday. But he hurt the same ankle he injured Week 1 — for the record, he said that was a high-ankle sprain and felt “way, way worse” — that hindered him for three weeks. He said he’s likely to participate only in walkthrough as a precaution but has absorbed the game plan and the mentorship of veterans all season.
The 21-year-old on the verge of his 22nd birthday on Saturday, Emmanwori didn’t hesitate to swoop in on the sideline to confront cornerback Riq Woolen in response to his taunting penalty that gave the Rams a first down instead of what would have been fourth-and-12. On the next play, taunted wide receiver Puka Nacua caught a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford.
“We have the ability to have those uncomfortable conversations,” Emmanwori said. “Just the passion we all play with as players, we also hold each other accountable. He knew he was wrong and nobody needed to tell him that. But if I was close to the line, I’d expect someone to keep me in check. It’s the love we have for each other.”
–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
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