Kenny McIntosh 'Doing Great Job,' Carving Out Bigger Role in Seahawks' Offense

Taking advantage of every opportunity given to him, Kenny McIntosh has been thrust into a key role on offense as the Seahawks battle for a playoff spot.

Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands the ball off to Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images / Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

RENTON, Wash. - Unlike his rookie year where an injury kept him from logging a single carry and he dressed for just three regular season games, Kenny McIntosh has been healthy throughout the 2024 season for the Seattle Seahawks.

But up until a few weeks ago, McIntosh's playing time has once again been limited in Seattle's backfield behind starter Ken Walker III and talented reserve Zach Charbonnet, as he primarily played special teams in the first 12 games. Through Week 13, he had toted the rock a grand total of four times, with three of those coming in the closing minutes of a 34-17 blowout win over Atlanta in October that had already been decided.

However, after patiently biding his time and waiting for a chance to impress, multiple injuries to Walker opened the door for McIntosh to finally see the field for more than late game garbage time snaps. Continuing to play well in his first real opportunity to see the field on offense, the Georgia product ran seven times for 46 yards, including ripping off a 25-yard run on Seattle's opening drive, to help the team secure a 6-3 win over Chicago on Thursday night.

"He's earned a bigger role, and we need him right now," coach Mike Macdonald said of McIntosh. "That's where we stand with Ken Walker's situation. I didn't want to make too much of it with Ken, but when you're not a starter and you don't get that many reps, when you do get reps, they're at a premium and you've got to keep showing that you're ready to go. There were a couple of reps here and there throughout the season, and he was great. He's a hard worker, he's tough."

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, McIntosh drew rave reviews from former coach Pete Carroll early in his first training camp. Unfortunately, he took an ugly hit during Seattle's mock scrimmage in early August and sprained his knee, opening the season on injured reserve. Once he was activated, he only played sparingly on special teams and often was a healthy scratch on game day in what amounted to a "redshirt" rookie year.

Back healthy in time for OTAs, Macdonald and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have frequently challenged McIntosh publicly, including Grubb acknowledging in August during training camp that he had room to improve with blitz pickup, saying the Seahawks were "working hard to try to get his pass protection up to snuff." At that time, undrafted rookie George Holani seemed to be on his tail in a tight competition for the third running back spot, creating questions about his place on the roster.

But much to the delight of Macdonald and Grubb, McIntosh responded favorably to those challenges on the field, particularly in preseason games. Emerging as one of the stars of the exhibition season, he rushed 17 times for 142 yards, including torching the Browns with a 56-yard touchdown run in the preseason finale, ultimately fending off Holani for one of the final roster spots.

As the season progressed into November, opportunities proved to be few and far between for McIntosh. Once Walker went down with a calf injury earlier this month, however, the Seahawks needed him to step up as the complementary sidekick to Charbonnet and he did just that, rushing seven times for 38 yards in a 30-18 road win over the Cardinals. In the next two games, he rushed six times for 23 yards and added a 15-yard catch in losses to the Packers and Vikings.

Additionally, following the departures of Laviska Shenault and Dee Williams, McIntosh stepped up as one of Seattle's new kick returners on special teams, including returning three kicks for 91 yards against Minnesota in Week 16.

With Walker only lasting one game after returning to the lineup before suffering a high ankle sprain and landing on injured reserve, McIntosh once again was thrust into extended action in cold, rainy Chicago, seizing his chance as a rare bright spot on offense for Seattle. Along with averaging 6.6 yards per carry and producing a trio of forced missed tackles, he nearly averaged four yards per carry after contact, running with power and decisiveness.

Having watched Mcintosh steadily improve on the practice field over the past several months and continue to embrace competition on offense and special teams, Macdonald wasn't surprised to see that growth translate to game action when opportunity knocked.

"Sometimes, guys just need a little reminder of what they're battling for," Macdonald said. "That the competition is still there even though we're not talking about actual snaps on Sunday. He's done a great job of earning a bigger role week by week."

Heading towards next week's regular season finale against the Rams, it remains to be seen whether or not the Seahawks will be vying for an NFC West title. Their slim playoff hopes could be dashed if Los Angeles beats Arizona on Saturday night, as the rival holds a significant lead in the strength of victory tiebreaker and additional help from other teams will be needed to stay alive in that scenario.

Regardless of whether Seattle has a shot at making the playoffs or not, McIntosh should see plenty of snaps on offense and special teams at SoFi Stadium with a chance to finish the season on a strong note. And, if the team does punch a ticket for the postseason, he figures to play a prominent role in January with Walker sidelined for four weeks minimum, providing another opportunity for him to improve his standing for 2025.

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