Rookie Safety Steps Into a Number Worn by a Seahawks Legend
Nick Emmanwori isn’t backing away from expectations, not even when they come stitched onto the back of his jersey. The Seahawks rookie safety will be the first player since Russell Wilson to wear No. 3 in Seattle, a number synonymous with one of the franchise’s most iconic runs.
Wilson wore it for 10 seasons, earning nine Pro Bowl nods and delivering a Super Bowl title. Since his trade to Denver in 2022, the number had gone untouched.
Now, it’s back and in very different hands.
A Nod to a Childhood Favorite
For Emmanwori, the number isn’t just a jersey, it’s a tribute to a player he admired growing up. He understands the weight it carries. But isn’t looking to replicate Wilson’s legacy, he wants to build his own.
“He did a lot for this organization,” Emmanwori said Friday. “He did everything he could. So, I’m gonna do what I can in this number and make it special on defense in my own way.”
No. 7 Was Taken, But No. 3 Felt Right
The number wasn’t his first choice. Emmanwori wore No. 7 at South Carolina and hoped to keep it in the NFL. But with veteran linebacker Uchenna Nwosu already wearing it, the rookie had to go a different direction.
“I kinda was looking for single digits. (No.) 7 wasn’t available, so I was looking at the next number that could mean something to me,” he explained. “Russell Wilson’s one of my favorite quarterbacks growing up with that Legion of Boom defense, you had an offense too. Respect to Russell.”
Big Shoes, New Path
Wilson was a third-round pick in 2012 who defied expectations and became an immediate star as a rookie. Emmanwori, taken a round earlier in 2025, is now hoping to make an early mark of his own. Just on the opposite side of the ball.
And if he can carve out even a fraction of Wilson’s rookie-year success, No. 3 might start to stand for something new in Seattle.
