The Seattle Seahawks will have to continue their postseason run without running back Zach Charbonnet after he suffered a serious knee injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the playoffs, head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Monday. “He’s got a significant knee injury unfortunately,” Macdonald said. “Breaks your heart. He’s going to need surgery. He’s going to have a long road back.”
The injury occurred during Seattle’s dominant 41-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional round. Charbonnet exited the game late in the first half after taking a hard hit, finishing with 20 yards on five carries. ESPN’s Adam Schefter later reported the injury was a torn ACL, which will require surgery.
After a modest rookie campaign, Charbonnet, 25, took a significant step forward in his second season and carried that momentum into 2025. He was particularly effective late in the year, recording 110 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina in Week 17, followed by 74 yards and a score in Week 18 against San Francisco to help clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Charbonnet was a major contributor to Seattle’s offense throughout the season and enjoyed the most productive year of his young career. A second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he rushed for a career-high 730 yards and led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. He also added 20 receptions, showcasing his versatility out of the backfield. Together with Kenneth Walker III, Charbonnet helped anchor one of the league’s more effective rushing attacks. Seattle finished 10th in the NFL with 2,096 rushing yards in 2025. While Walker led the team with 1,027 yards, Charbonnet provided power and consistency, accounting for 12 of the Seahawks’ 19 rushing scores.
With Charbonnet unavailable, Seattle will now lean more heavily on Walker, who delivered a standout performance against the 49ers with 119 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Walker also contributes as a receiver, finishing the regular season with 31 catches for 282 yards. The Seahawks also have depth options in veterans Cam Akers and Velus Jones Jr., both currently on the practice squad. Akers brings championship experience, having been part of the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl LVI title run.
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