Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll: Rashaad Penny Injury 'Breaks My Heart'

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny likely saw his final snap of the season during Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny has been plagued with injuries during his five-year career. 

But after last season's final frame saw him dominate defenses with flashes of star-level potential, the 2022 campaign was supposed to be an official coming-out party for Penny. He'd been waiting for this since being a first-round pick in 2018. 

However, along with Seattle's 39-32 loss to the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, it was a worst-case scenario type of day for Penny, who reportedly suffered a fractured tibia that would lead to the belief it could require season-ending surgery. 

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has always been known to be a relationship-driven coach during his time in the league. He admitted after the loss Sunday that Penny's injury isn't going to be easy for himself to deal with. 

“This has been a journey for him, and for us too,” Carroll said. “Really, I fell in love with the fact that he emerged and showed us the great player that he is and what he can mean to the game and our team and all of that, and for it to come down to another setback – he’ll be back, he’ll be back – but it’s a setback that just breaks my heart.”

Penny was coming off a Week 4 win over the Detroit Lions that saw him explode on 17 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which all but sealed Seattle's eventual 48-45 win. 

The Seahawks have reaped the rewards of Penny's tremendous play since the end of last season. Now, they'll likely lean on rookie running back Kenneth Walker III as the season treads on. 

“He has been having so much fun, he has been so rewarded and so fulfilled,” Carroll said of Penny. “He knows he belongs, he knows he can do it, and he knows he can be an impact in this league ... to have it taken away because of mishap, it’s unfortunate.”

The Seahawks will host the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field on Sunday at 1:25 p.m. PT. 

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