As a seventh-round draft pick out of Georgia in 2023, there was no guarantee that Kenny McIntosh was going to make the Seattle Seahawks roster. A knee injury during his rookie season made the climb even steeper. Still, by the time the Seahawks made their final decisions, McIntosh was there, alongside Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, and DeeJay Dallas.
That knee landed McIntosh on the IR for a good chunk of the '23 season. He only saw action in three games. Last year, he had a better chance to prove what he could do on an NFL field. After fending off a preseason challenge from George Holani, McIntosh again made the roster. For most of the season, he performed on special teams.
When Walker was hurt late, the second-year man got his first genuine chance on offense. Over the final five weeks, he carried the ball 27 times for 156 yards – better than 5.7 yards-per-carry. His success rate on running plays, based on down and distance, was higher than that of Walker or Charbonnet.
Now, it appears, the popular back is facing the biggest challenge of his young career.
Kenny McIntosh suffers a knee injury in Seahawks’ training camp
McIntosh was hurt during Saturday’s practice. Initial reports indicated a likely ACL tear. If that is confirmed, it would mean an end to his third season before it begins.
McIntosh was again going to have to battle for his spot. Seattle chose Damien Martinez out of Miami in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Martinez is a bigger, more powerful runner than McIntosh, and if Seattle genuinely intends to make the running game a focus this year, Martinez might have had a slight leg up.
Now it appears the battle for the third running back spot will come down to Martinez and Holani, with another big bruising runner – Missouri State UDFA Jacardia Wright – also in the fight. Look for GM John Schneider to sign another running back during training camp to add depth.
Of the four players who returned kickoffs for Seattle in 2024, McIntosh is the only one remaining on the roster. Seattle signed veteran receiver Steven Sims this offseason to compete for the kickoff return role. Rookie Tory Horton was an outstanding punt returner in college and will get some looks on kickoffs as well. With McIntosh’s injury, that takes on added importance.
With new players like Martinez and Sims in camp, there was no guarantee that McIntosh was going to make the final roster for his third straight season. Still, it would not have been wise to bet against him. He has faced criticism before over his lack of size and speed.
Kenny McIntosh has overcome those perceived negatives by simply being a very good football player. Toward the end of last season, he was just beginning to show why John Schneider drafted him and then kept him around for a couple of seasons.
Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL. McIntosh’s absence opens the door for players like Martinez, Holani, and Sims to prove they belong. If the injury is a complete ACL tear, that almost always means an entire season lost. Often, the returning player needs another year to get back to where he had been before the injury.
But improvements in treatment and rehab techniques have begun shortening that timeline, at least for some players. Time will tell whether this proves to be too big an obstacle for McIntosh to overcome, or whether it is just one more hurdle for him to cross. Meanwhile, Seattle will rearrange the depth chart and bring in another player or two for a look.
And the Seahawks will continue preparing for the 2025 season, one that unfortunately will not include Kenny McIntosh.