Zach Charbonnet returns to practice for Seattle Seahawks
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 17: Zach Charbonnet #26 of the Seattle Seahawks enters the field during player introductions prior to an NFL divisional playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, (Brooke Sutton / Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks designated running back Zach Charbonnet to return from the physically unable to perform list, opening up a 21-day practice window before he must be added to the active roster.
Charbonnet has been recovering from a torn ACL sustained in Seattle's 41-6 playoff victory over the San Francisco 49ers in January. Charbonnet waited to have surgery until after the team's 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, which puts him effectively 7 ½ months out from the surgery.
"He's doing a great job, and he's in a great position mentally," head coach Mike Macdonald said of Charbonnet. "It's just about what's the best time, and how does that create the most opportunities to get them ready to play? We've got the Denver week. There's not a lot of great practice (opportunities) that week. How does that affect it? There are some other things going on that we've just got to work through, but we'll decide by tomorrow. He'll either practice tomorrow, or he won't."
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Charbonnet is not eligible to play this week and won't be back in games any time soon for Seattle. As Macdonald mentioned, the upcoming Thursday night game against the Broncos on October 15 will almost entirely throw off a week of practice as well. Charbonnet will have to be activated by October 21, or he becomes ineligible to play the rest of the season. There's little doubt that happens, but precisely when he'll return to game action remains unclear.
"It's really cool. I know the journey that he went through," said safety A.J. Finley, who missed all of last season with an ACL tear of his own. "Seeing him get back to where he wants to be, it's honestly the best feeling. He would talk to me (and) we'd talk about like certain things that we were going through. He'd ask me, like, ‘were you feeling this at this point?’ And I was like, ‘yeah, I felt it.’ But honestly, seeing him get back out there is really impressive."
Charbonnet has appeared in 49 games for Seattle over the last three seasons, rushing for 1,761 yards and 21 touchdowns on 427 career carries. He's coming off a career-best 730 yards and 12 touchdowns last season for the Seahawks.
"It's impressive. He looks like he's made out of granite," tight end A.J. Barner said of Charbonnet's recovery. "He looks really good. I know how hard he works, so I'm excited to see him get back and running.
"He's just a Seahawk. He's going to go in there, do his job, run the ball the right way. I mean, I guess we'll see what happens. I think, year four for Zach, the sky is the limit. We know how good of a player he is. It's up to him when he gets back out there to go show it, but we're going to be blocking our tails off for him."
In 522 career touches – rushing attempts and receptions combined – Charbonnet hasn't fumbled even once. According to Stathead, Charbonnet is one of just five players since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to have over 400 carries without fumbling. Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta, Arizona — 700 attempts), Phillip Lindsay (Denver, Houston, Miami, Indianapolis — 637), Darrell Henderson (LA Rams — 446) and Elijah Mitchell (San Francisco, Kansas City — 411).
"It's impressive. He looks like he's made out of granite," tight end A.J. Barner said of Charbonnet's recovery. "He looks really good. I know how hard he works, so I'm excited to see him get back and running.
"He's just a Seahawk. He's going to go in there, do his job, run the ball the right way. I mean, I guess we'll see what happens. I think, year four for Zach, the sky is the limit. We know how good of a player he is. It's up to him when he gets back out there to go show it, but we're going to be blocking our tails off for him."
Julian Love expects to play against Chargers
Safety Julian Love returned to practice on Wednesday after missing last week's game against the Washington Commanders with a calf injury. He told reporters on Thursday that he's planning to play this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers.
"Obviously, keep working and see how practice is today, tomorrow. I feel pretty good," Love said.
Love had his calf act up on him in practice last Thursday during their walkthrough and there wasn't enough time to get back healthy to play on Sunday.
"I really wasn't doing anything too crazy," Love said. "It happened Thursday, and with the flight and quick turnaround, just things weren't able to progress quick enough to get out there.
"Kind of a random thing last week, we just attacked it. The training staff did a good job, so I’m feeling good."
The Source: Information in this story comes from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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