Two former South Carolina Gamecocks just added the ultimate piece of hardware to their résumés - Super Bowl rings - and they did it as key starters on a Seattle Seahawks defense that shut the door on New England, 29-13, in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV led the way with a game-high 11 tackles, flying around the field with the kind of command and physicality that’s become his trademark. Safety Nick Emmanwori wasn’t far behind, chipping in five tackles of his own in a performance that helped Seattle cap off its championship run in dominant fashion.
For Jones, this marks his second Super Bowl title - and his second with a different team. After winning his first ring with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, he now becomes the first South Carolina alum to win Super Bowls with two different franchises.
His journey to this moment started in Columbia, where he played three seasons (2018-2020) and quickly emerged as a defensive leader. He led the Gamecocks in tackles in back-to-back seasons - 97 in 2019 and 86 in 2020 - earning a semifinalist nod for the Butkus Award along the way.
That 2020 campaign also saw him named a team captain, a reflection of both his play and his leadership in the locker room.
One of his most memorable college performances came against LSU, when he racked up 19 tackles - the most by a Gamecock in a single game since 1987. That kind of production helped propel him into the NFL, where he was selected in the third round of the 2021 draft. And now, just a few years later, he’s a two-time Super Bowl champion.
On the back end of Seattle’s defense, Emmanwori brought his own brand of physicality and football IQ to the biggest stage. The former Irmo (S.C.) standout made his name at South Carolina from 2022 through 2024, stepping into a starting role as a freshman and never looking back.
He was named a Freshman All-American in 2022 and capped off his college career as an AP First-Team All-American in 2024. That final season saw him lead the Gamecocks in tackles with 88, anchoring the secondary with a blend of toughness and instincts that translated immediately to the pro level.
Drafted 35th overall in 2025, Emmanwori wasted no time making an impact in Seattle. His rookie season ended with him as a finalist for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year - and now, a Super Bowl champion.
Both players have carved out impressive early careers in the NFL, and their performances on football’s biggest stage only reinforce what South Carolina fans already knew: these guys are built for the moment.