When Will Zach Charbonnet Return From Injury For Seahawks?

Zach Charbonnet won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, but it did come at a price as he tore his ACL during the playoff run.

Charbonnet suffered the injury on Jan. 17 and had surgery for the torn ACL after the Super Bowl on Feb. 20. ACL tears tend to take nine to twelve months to fully heal, so there are a number of different scenarios that Charbonnet faces when it comes to when he will actually return for the team.

Best-Case Scenario

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet rushes during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

If all goes well for Charbonnet and it takes exactly nine months to get fully healthy, that would take him to around Thanksgiving, which would give him a chance to play around Week 12 or 13.

This means Charbonnet would miss most of the season, but he would be coming to the team back in time for when running backs need to step up as the game slows down on the way to the playoffs.

Worst-Case Scenario

If Charbonnet gets to a point where it's taking a little longer for him to heal, he could miss the entire season. There's also a scenario where the Seahawks aren't returning to that Super Bowl caliber and the team is struggling to repeat the magic they had this past season.

If the Seahawks are not performing very well, it may be likely for Charbonnet to take more time on his recovery process and not play in the 2026 season. He would then become a free agent, giving him a chance to sign with the Seahawks or elsewhere to give him a true fresh start.

Likeliest Scenario

The Seahawks likely cannot count on Charbonnet for much this season. He will likely be on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for most of the season, but he could be activated in time to return to the field in December. Having Charbonnet come back in a complementary role will give the Seahawks a boost as they try to get towards the playoffs.

That means the Seahawks need to tab someone to be the starting running back for most of the season. Charbonnet won't be coming in late in December and carrying the ball 20 times a game. He might be good for a handful of touches. So the Seahawks need to make sure they trust one or two players with a committee approach before Charbonnet can come back.

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