Seahawks RB Chris Carson to have season-ending surgery

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 26: Chris Carson #32 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter in the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (P

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RENTON, Wash. - Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson will have season-ending surgery after suffering a neck injury earlier this year.

Head Coach Pete Carroll revealed the news in a Friday afternoon news conference. Carson will be placed on the Injured Reserve list.

Carson returned to practice last week in a limited capacity after missing the previous four games with a neck ailment that popped up following the Week 4 victory over San Francisco.

Carroll said he expects Carson to be healthy by next season.

Carson was averaging 4.3 yards per carry but had yet to have a breakout game through the first four weeks. His best performance came in the season opener against Indianapolis when he rushed for 91 yards and also caught three passes.

Since Carson’s injury, Seattle has had mixed results on the ground. Alex Collins has carried the majority of the load while also dealing with hip and groin issues. He posted Seattle’s first 100-yard rushing game since 2019 in a loss to Pittsburgh, but the overall impact of the run game — combined with Russell Wilson being out due to injury — has been lacking.

Last week against Green Bay, the Seahawks ran the ball just 11 times for a measly 43 yards. Collins had 10 carries and Travis Homer had one. Deejay Dallas played only on special teams and former first-round pick Rashaad Penny never saw the field.

Carroll said he would like to see more options used in the hopes of getting the run game started.

"I’m anxious to see us mix our guys a little bit more and more runs will allow us to do that. Alex had 10 carries in the game. That’s not enough to really get a guy working," Carroll said. "(Travis) Homer has got some style to him. Deejay does a nice job in a number of areas and we need Rashaad to come to life. This is an important time for Rashaad to help us."

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