Kenny McIntosh Beats Out George Holani For Seattle Seahawks Third RB Spot

Capturing the victory in one of the Seahawks tightest positional battles, Kenny McIntosh managed to fend off a worthy undrafted competitor in George Holani.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) is tackled byTennessee Titans safety Mike Brown (44) during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

In the aftermath of a hotly contested backfield battle during training camp and the preseason, with the Seattle Seahawks opting to keep only three running backs on their initial 53-man roster, Kenny McIntosh has been crowned as the winner against George Holani.

Back healthy after missing most of his rookie season with a sprained knee, McIntosh enjoyed a fantastic exhibition season for Seattle, rising to the occasion with Holani pushing him. The second-year back out of Georgia rushed for 142 yards on 17 attempts in three preseason games, capping off a spectacular August with a scintillating 56-yard touchdown run against Cleveland in a 37-33 win at Lumen Field on Saturday night.

"Kenny Mac, another example of a guy that's been working really, really hard," coach Mike Macdonald said after Saturday's preseason win. "For him to have an opportunity to make such a great play, just really happy for him. Really happy for where he's at. He should be proud of himself."

Per Pro Football Focus, McIntosh finished second in the NFL during the preseason schedule with 118 yards after contact while averaging 6.94 yards after contact per carry and producing nine forced missed tackles, ranking in the top four in both of those categories. He also tied for the most 10-plus yard runs (4) among all backs in exhibition play.

In addition, showing off his diverse skill set with plenty of receiving skills out of the backfield, McIntosh caught five passes for 27 yards, producing a pair of first down conversions on those opportunities in the passing game.

Holani certainly made McIntosh sweat things out, however. Signing with the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie out of Boise State in April, the bruising back made a compelling case for winning the third running back job outright or forcing the team's hand to keep four backs, passing the eye test throughout training camp and the preseason.

Rushing 15 times for 66 yards in three exhibition games, Holani racked up 55 yards after contact, consistently pushing the pile and powering forward despite not having near as good of blocking in front of him as McIntosh did. He found the end zone twice, including an 11-yard score against the Chargers, and he made the most of his opportunities without the ball in his hands, dishing out several excellent blocks in pass protection and as a lead blocker on jet sweeps.

Checking off a key box for bubble players, Holani also made his mark on Seattle's special teams, recording a pair of tackles on kick and punt coverage, but it wasn't enough to earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Ultimately, the Seahawks may have wanted to keep both McIntosh and Holani, but injuries suffered by outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and cornerback Artie Burns on Saturday likely forced the franchise to pick one with more pressing needs on the roster. Since McIntosh came into the league as a seventh-round pick, they clearly felt he would be tougher to sneak through waivers and will be keeping fingers crossed Holani can return as a member of the practice squad.

All 31 other teams will have a chance to claim Holani off waivers up until 9 AM PT on Wednesday morning. If he clears, the Seahawks will be able to bring him back on the practice squad immediately, opening the door for him to eventually see action as a game day elevation if needed.

For the latest on all of Seattle's roster moves cutting down to 53 players, check out our live tracker here.