Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is not expected to return for Thursday night’s road game against the Denver Broncos, according to head coach Mike Macdonald.
The update comes after the Seahawks fell 32-29 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, a defeat marked by four turnovers that handed the visitors 21 points in a tight contest.
Charbonnet has been working back from a torn ACL sustained in Seattle’s divisional-round victory over San Francisco last January.
The team placed him on the physically unable to perform list at the start of the season before designating him to return to practice on October 1, which opened a 21-day window for potential activation.
Macdonald had already flagged the abbreviated Denver week as a hurdle because it limits full-speed practice opportunities, and Sunday’s comments sharpened that outlook.
“That could change, but as of right now, he’s not going to play,” the coach said, leaving only a narrow path for a late shift in plans.
The absence stings in light of Sunday’s backfield troubles. Emanuel Wilson was stripped by Fred Warner deep in Seattle territory in the second quarter, setting up an immediate Christian McCaffrey touchdown.
George Holani later fumbled at his own goal line with 13 seconds remaining in the half, allowing a 49ers defensive lineman to recover in the end zone for another score.
Holani had already put the ball on the ground once earlier in the half, though Seattle recovered that one. Wilson finished with 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, yet the lost fumbles helped flip a competitive afternoon into another turnover-laden setback.
If Charbonnet stays sidelined, the Seahawks are projected to lean once more on Wilson, Holani, and Velus Jones Jr., with recently signed Robert Henry Jr. potentially available after sitting inactive against San Francisco.
Charbonnet’s track record offers a clear contrast: he rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns on 184 carries last season without a single fumble, and across his first three NFL seasons he has accumulated 1,761 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns with zero recorded fumbles.
That security stands out after the current group put the ball on the ground three times between them on Sunday.
Macdonald and the staff have no interest in accelerating Charbonnet’s recovery simply because the available backs struggled, particularly so soon after major knee surgery.
At the same time, the decision to keep him out leaves Seattle with the same group heading into a potentially physical road matchup in Denver, where the short turnaround already complicates preparation.
The Seahawks continue to monitor his progress closely, but the immediate outlook points to another week without their most reliable ball carrier.
