Some notable Seattle Seahawks jersey numbers are back in circulation.
Not the least of which is No. 3, which was worn by quarterback Russell Wilson through 10 seasons, nine Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl victory.
Rookie safety Nick Emmanwori will be the first Seahawks player to wear the jersey number since Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2022 season.
Emmanwori was a fan of Wilson's growing up and is aspiring to make the number a memorable one for the Seahawks again, just on the other side of the ball.
"He did a lot for this organization," Emmanwori, a second-round pick out of South Carolina, said Friday of Wilson. "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."
Offensive lineman Grey Zabel, the Seahawks' 2025 first-round pick, will be wearing No. 76, which was once worn by Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Hutchinson.
Zabel sought out Hutchinson's permission to don the number even though it's not retired.
No. 3's not retired, either, and Emmanwori wasn't even set on wearing it.
By his account, it seems as though he would've preferred No. 7, which he wore to conclude his South Carolina career. Seattle linebacker Uchenna Nwosu wears that number, though, so Emmanwori went down the single-digit list and landed on a familiar numeral.
"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," Emmanwori said. "Russell Wilson's one of my favorite quarterbacks growing up with that Legion of Boom defense, you had an offense, too. Respect to Russell."
Wilson was taken a round later than Emmanwori, plucked in the third round of the 2012 Draft. He surprisingly started as a rookie and shined, earning a Pro Bowl selection and helping the Seahawks to the playoffs.
If Emmanwori can come close to mirroring the QB's achievements as a rookie, he'll be well on his "own way" to making the No. 3 not just a reminder of past triumphs, but a sign of success to come.
