As they feared, Kenny McIntosh out for the year. Seahawks RBs now look like this
The Seahawks are realizing their fears about Kenny McIntosh’s injury.
The third-year, third-string running back indeed has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee from a non-contact injury in a special-teams drill in the open field in training camp Saturday. The team placed its seventh-round draft choice from Georgia in 2023 on injured reserve Monday after MRI examinations confirmed the injury the team feared all weekend he had.
McIntosh was a part-time kickoff returner playing 37% of special-teams snaps last season. He also played 7% of offensive snaps rushing for 172 yards behind lead back Kenneth Walker and No. 2 rusher Zach Charbonnet.
Players put on IR in the preseason must miss the entire coming season. So McIntosh won’t play again until at least 2026.
“Obviously, really unfortunate. We love Kenny. But it’s an ACL,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said following the fifth practice of training camp Monday.
“What he needs from us is our support, our prayers. It’s going to be a tough road, but he’s the man for the job. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, but he’s going to need our help.
“He’s going to have surgery here pretty soon.”
The team signed undrafted rookie running back D.K. Kaufman from North Carolina State to fill the open spot of the 90-man preseason roster. The 5-foot-8, 206-pound Kaufman was in Seattle rookie minicamp in May as a tryout player. He was a college safety at Vanderbilt, Auburn and N.C. State.
Enter Damien Martinez
The first practice without McIntosh was the first of camp in full pads.
Right on cue — and as his head coach expected — Damien Martinez excelled.
The rookie seventh-round draft choice who steamrolled defenses in college rushing for Miami last year and Oregon State before that had his best NFL day so far.
He made decisive cuts in handoffs off blocks in offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s new outside-zone run-blocking system. He found open space in zone coverage and caught a deeper-than-usual checkdown pass from backup quarterback Drew Lock. That successfully ended an 11-on-11 scrimmage on what was otherwise a poorer day for the offense.
Martinez was more impressive in a one-on-one pass-rushing drill against blitzing linebackers off the edges. Coaches were yelling their approval of the 6-foot, 217-pound running back’s rugged pass blocking.
If Martinez pass blocks the way he did Monday, he’s going to play more than maybe even he expected before McIntosh got hurt Saturday.
“I thought Damien had his best day yet,” Macdonald said.
The coach added he figured the rugged Martinez would excel when the pads came on.
Rest of the running backs
With McIntosh out for the season, Seattle’s running backs are now: Walker, off to a fast camp start to begin the final year of his rookie contract; Charbonnet entering his third NFL season; Martinez; rookie free agent Jacardia Wright from Missouri State; George Holani, in his second season from Boise State; and rookie fullback Robbie Ouzts, the fifth-round pick from Alabama.
The Seahawks list Brady Russell as a fullback. In training camp so far he’s back at his previous spot of tight end during position drills and many scrimmages.
Holani had an excellent pass-block rep to end that one-on-one drill against the linebackers Monday. He stayed with the spin move by Drake Thomas, moving his feet and hands quickly to maintain his block.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM.