As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for round three against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Mike Macdonald just confirmed that Sam Darnold will miss one of the team’s key weapons in the NFC Championship Game.
According to Maura Dooley of Seattle Sports, Macdonald spoke with the outlet to confirm bad news on Zach Charbonnet. “The bummer is Charbs. He’s got a significant knee injury unfortunately. Breaks your heart. He’s going to need surgery. He’s going to have a long road back.” Charbonnet was injured during the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers. Adam Schefter later reported that Charbonnet in fact tore his ACL.
Charbonnet had a career-year in 2025, logging up career-highs in attempts, rushing yards, and touchdowns. He actually scored a touchdown against the Niners last week and racked up 47 yards before getting injured.
Seahawks are still in a great position
While Charbonnet was having a productive season, some might say he was also getting tons of opportunities away from Kenneth Walker III. Walker is the actual starter of the team and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, though scored way less than Charbonnet.
However, while Charbonnet was a red zone threat, Walker is just more effective. Walker averages 4.6 yards per carry to Charbonnet’s 4.0 in what was essentially a 55-45 split. Now, it’s time for Walker to prove he can be the workhorse of the team’s running game. It’s known that Sam Darnold is battling an oblique injury, so having an effective running game is key.
Seattle is in deep waters now
An NFC Championship Game is more than just a win-or-go-home game, it’s the shot at glory. They are also preparing to battle the Rams. The Seahawks divided the series with the Rams and they are as equalled as two teams can get.
The Rams scored 58 points in those two games, while the Seahawks scored 57. As for total yards in those two games, the Rams had 830 yards while the Seahawks racked up 829. Both games were decided by a combined three points. Hence, grab the popcorn as this matchup will be absolutely incredible.
