Heading toward Super Bowl LX in the Division Round of the NFL playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks suffered a major loss in the backfield, with running back Zach Charbonnet going down with a torn ACL, ending his season.
Despite the loss of Charbonnet to a season-ending knee injury, the Seahawks were able to go on to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl title, with star running back Kenneth Walker III coming away with Super Bowl MVP honors.
After hitting NFL free agency, Walker chose to take his talents elsewhere, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving Charbonnet to be the lead back moving forward in Seattle.
Zach Charbonnet Already Doing On-Field Work
GettyZach Charbonnet #26 of the Seattle Seahawks
With Charbonnet taking on the role as the lead back for the Seahawks, the attention turns to when he’ll be able to get back on the football field, which might be sooner rather than later, despite the recovery time usually being anywhere from eight to 12 months, via Greg Bell of The News Tribune.
Charbonnet had reconstructive knee surgery in mid-February. That was days after he missed the Seahawks’ win over New England in Super Bowl 60. The typical recovery time for torn ACLs and the resulting surgery in football players is eight to 12 months. That would mean Charbonnet remains out well past the start of the Seahawks’ opening game of the 2026 season Sept. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch with the Patriots at Lumen Field.
Fortunately for Seattle, Charbonnet appears to be making significant progress in his rehab, as he’s already doing some light on-field work, via Corbin K. Smith of Emerald City Spectrum.
With Charbonnet seemingly making a quicker-than-expected recovery, the Seahawks might be planning to make him part of the team’s plans earlier in the 2026 campaign, via Bell.
Yet Charbonnet’s work, albeit incremental, at this minicamp suggests he could be at the top of the plans Macdonald and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury have for the start of the season. Not necessarily the middle and end, as has been presumed for Charbonnet.
Not necessarily the middle and end, as has been presumed for Charbonnet.
During the 2025 NFL season, Charbonnet racked up 874 yards from scrimmage and a career-high 12 rushing touchdowns.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Sam Darnold: ‘It’s His Team’
GettySam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks
After a career year with the Seahawks in 2025, star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba put himself in the conversation for being one of the best players in the NFL at his position and now gets paid like it after signing a four-year, $168 million contract.
Even though Smith-Njigba is the star attraction for the Seahawks, the up-and-coming wide receiver admits that it is quarterback Sam Darnold‘s team moving forward, via the team’s press conference to start minicamp.
“It’s his team,” Smith-Njigba said of Darnold.
“I love going into year two with these guys and Sam especially just to grow the connection,” Smith-Njigba said. “We really understand each other on the field and I understand what he needs from me.”
With Darnold and Smith-Njigba on the same page right out of the gate to begin the 2026 NFL season, the Seahawks will be in a good position to get off to a good start and defend their title.
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