NFL injuries: Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny out for season with broken fibula in loss to Saints
The Seattle Seahawks lost running back Rashaad Penny for the rest of the season.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed on Seattle Sports 710 AM on Monday that Penny is done for the year after he broke his fibula and injured his tibia in his left leg during their 39-32 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
"It's going to be a haul for him," Carroll said on the radio, via ESPN. "This is what they refer to as a tib/fib incident. He broke his fibula and cracked that, but it's the high-ankle sprain element of it that makes it difficult. And there's a particular surgery that they do to connect and tighten down those bones."
"It's going to take a number of months, so he's going to miss the season. It's really a heartbreaker for a kid that has really bounced back into the limelight of our program and for us and all, and for himself. He's been through such a long haul that it's really just a heartbreaking loss for him. He'd been doing great and everybody could see it and we've been so excited for him. ... It's a really clear surgery process and all that, but it just does take a long time."
The former first-round draft pick exited Sunday's game with what appeared to be a serious leg injury early in the third quarter. He had to be helped off the field and was eventually carted to the locker room.
During the timeout, Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny was helped off of the field and then carted into the locker room. pic.twitter.com/6r8emGp9O5
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 9, 2022
After the game, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters Penny had sustained a "serious" ankle injury, but declined to specify the exact nature of the injury.
Penny will now undergo surgery in the coming days, officially ending his season.
Seahawks need Kenneth Walker III to step up after Rashaad Penny's injury
The development is a tough blow for the Seahawks, but devastating for Penny, who had 54 rushing yards on eight carries at the time of his injury. After spending much of his career fighting for carries, Penny entered this season as the clear starter after posting 671 yards in five games to end last season.
Entering Week 5, Penny was coming off a 151-yard, two-touchdown effort against the Detroit Lions. Now, he'll likely have to miss significant time while the Seahawks turn to second-round rookie Kenneth Walker III as their primary running back.
Walker scored his first career touchdown, a 69-yard run, in the fourth quarter after Penny's injury.
PSA: KENNETH WALKER IS VERY FAST!
📺: #SEAvsNO on FOX pic.twitter.com/aeRCiO9L5n— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 9, 2022
The 2-3 Seahawks will likely need more of that if they want to keep pace in a very tight NFC West.
