The Seattle Seahawks will be without a power element for their rushing attack for the duration of their playoff run.
Running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the team's Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers that will knock him out for the rest of the postseason and into 2026, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of the situation.
“The bummer is Charbs. He’s got a significant knee injury, unfortunately,” coach Mike Macdonald said on Seattle Sports Radio. “Breaks your heart. He’s gonna need surgery, so he’s gonna be out. He’s got a good, long road to come back. My heart goes out to him. Prayers go out to Charbs. We love him, man.
“This guy is the epitome of what it means to be a Seahawk. Absolute tough as nails, great teammate, great human being. Plays his tail off, detail-oriented, unselfish. It hurts. It hurts that it’s going on.”
Charbonnet played the power role in the Seahawks offense behind starter Kenneth Walker III, rushing for 730 yards on 184 totes with a team-leading 12 rushing scores this season. His absence will be felt most in the red zone and short-yardage situations. He had five carries for 20 yards against San Francisco before getting knocked out with the injury.
Charbonnet’s absence the rest of the way will mean the Seahawks will lean more heavily on Walker, who gashed the Niners for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. In two games against the Rams this season, Walker combined for 167 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 27 carries and caught six passes for 108 yards.
Velus Jones is the other running back on the 53-man roster, with Cam Akers on the practice squad.
The timing of Charbonnet’s injury doesn’t bode well for the start of the 2026 season.
“He’s gonna be back,” Macdonald added. “He’s gonna be back stronger than ever, and the guys are gonna pick him up. It’s not like he’s leaving us. He’s going to be with us, but that’s what’s going on with Charbs.”