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The Seattle Seahawks made easy work of their NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, but came away with a key loss heading into the NFC Championship Game.
The Seahawks will be without running back Zach Charbonnet for another NFC West matchup, with the Los Angeles Rams standing between Seattle and a Super Bowl berth.
Charbonnet suffered a “major” season-ending knee injury, which was later reported as a torn ACL in the 41-6 win over the 49ers.
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Zach Charbonnet of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Head coach Mike McDonald confirmed that Charbonnet will miss the rest of the playoffs, a big loss considering the two-headed monster Seattle has been using all year in the backfield.
Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III were two of the best running backs in the NFL this season, with the former leading the team in rushing touchdowns (12) during the regular season.
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MacDonald, who did not specify the nature of Charbonnet’s injury, said he faces a “long road back,” which could mean he will miss all of next season as well.
Charbonnet and Walker led the way for the 10th-best rushing team in the NFL this season, with 2,096 yards on the ground. Walker had 1,027 points for the Seahawks, even though offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak had faith in Charbonnet in the red zone, where he scored 12 of 19 takeaways.
Zach Charbonnet of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after playing during overtime of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on December 18, 2025, in Seattle, Washington. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
With Charbonnet injured early in the win at Lumen Field, the Seahawks relied on Walker to shoulder the workload and he did not disappoint.
Walker scored three touchdowns for Seattle and totaled 116 yards on 19 carries in an impressive performance to help his team stay alive in the playoffs. Walker also had 29 yards on three catches from quarterback Sam Darnold, who had his first playoff win as well.
The Seahawks will look to Walker again next Sunday in the third meeting between these division foes this season.
Zach Charbonnet of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before facing the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 7, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Charbonnet completed his third season in the league following a second-round exit from UCLA. He recorded a career-high 730 yards on 184 rushing attempts, while his touchdown total is also a personal best.
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