SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks will be without running back Rashaad Penny for the rest of the season after suffering a broken fibula in his lower left leg in Sunday’s loss to New Orleans.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll confirmed Monday that Penny suffered the fracture and also has a significant high ankle sprain. The two injuries combined will require surgery that will end Penny’s season after just five games.
The Seahawks also tweeted Monday morning that Penny “suffered a season-ending ankle injury” during Sunday’s game.
Penny was hurt early in the third quarter when he was tackled from behind on a 6-yard run near the sideline. He eventually reached the sideline without putting any weight on the leg and was taken by a cart to the locker room.
The fracture is another in a frustrating rash of injuries that have plagued Penny’s career.
Penny’s dealt with several muscle injuries that have cost him games, but the torn ACL he suffered late in the 2019 season cost him the majority of the next season.
Penny finally started to show consistent flashes of the talent that made him a first-round pick late last season when he rushed for at least 130 yards in four of the final five games. Penny started this season slowly but ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4 against Detroit. Penny was averaging 6.8 yards per carry on Sunday before he was hurt.
With Penny out, the primary running load will fall to rookie Kenneth Walker III. Walker had 88 yards on eight carries against the Saints, but most of that came on a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.