Seahawks lose RB Zach Charbonnet to ‘significant’ knee injury

The Seattle Seahawks have lost running back Zach Charbonnet for the rest of their playoff run.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday morning that the knee injury Charbonnet suffered in Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers is “significant” and will require surgery, ending Charbonnet’s season.

How Zach Charbonnet’s injury impacts the Seahawks

“He’s got a good, long road to come back,” Macdonald said. “Heart goes out to him. Prayers go out to Charbs and 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. And it just hurts, man. It hurts that it’s going on.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Charbonnet has a torn ACL.

Charbonnet was injured during a run in the second quarter against the 49ers. Kenneth Walker III, who split time in the backfield with Charbonnet throughout the season, took over as Seattle’s lead back for the rest of game and finished with 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.

Velus Jones Jr., who was elevated from the practice squad for the playoff game, served as the Seahawks’ No. 2 running back after Charbonnet’s injury. He finished with 10 yards on six carries.

Practice squad member Cam Akers is the only other healthy running back on the Seahawks’ roster. Third-string running back George Holani was placed on injured reserve Nov. 29 with a hamstring injury and has yet to be designated to return to practice. Undrafted rookie Jacardia Wright was also placed on the practice squad IR in September with a foot injury. And third-year running back Kenny McIntosh was placed on IR with a torn ACL in late July.

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Charbonnet, a third-year pro who was taken in the second round of the 2023 draft, rushed for career highs of 730 yards and 12 TDs while averaging 4.0 yards per carry in 16 games in the regular season. He added another 144 yards on 20 receptions.

The UCLA product’s 12 rushing TDs tied Marshawn Lynch’s 2011 and 2013 seasons for the 12th-most in a single season in franchise history.

Macdonald also told Brock and Salk left tackle Charles Cross is day-to-day with a foot injury suffered in the third quarter of the win over San Francisco.

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