The Seahawk’s announcement on Tuesday afternoon stating five year running back Chris Carson failed his physical due to a neck injury served as another reminder of just how violent the game of football is. Carson was known for his punishing style running a throwback to the old days of Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and of course Walter Payton. Running backs who would hit the player rather than step out of bounds. Exciting, inspirational but not sustainable
SEASON-ENDING NECK INJURY
Carson suffered the neck injury last season in the second half of the Hawk’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. When asked about the injury head coach Pete Carroll said the injury was nothing more than a flare-up. As the season went on with no Carson it became obvious that the team’s star running back had suffered a serious injury. When Carson was not given medical clearance to participate in the team’s OTA’ and minicamp it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Carson would not return.
Tuesday’s failed physical test designation is unfortunate for the team and Carson but financially both made good. If that is ever possible when speaking about a career-stopping injury. Carson had one year remaining on a contract he signed in March 2021 that was due to pay him a non-guaranteed salary of $4.5 million this year. That contract included $5.5 million in guaranteed money.
“Ever since the first time I saw Chris on film, I loved his style, and I was thrilled when we were able to get him when we did,” Carroll said Tuesday. “To see him grow and become such an impacting part of our program with such a great style and all of that, it was a thrill to watch. We’ll miss him and everything he brought to our program.”
SEVENTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK
The Seahawks acquired Carson in the seventh round of the 2017 draft. Although not much was known about him league-wide the Seahawks had done their homework.
Carson won the starting join his rookie but suffered a broken leg injury that ended his season after four games. Carson bounced back from the injury in 2018 rushing for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns. The upward trajectory continued in 2019 when he ran for 1,230 yards and seven touchdowns and became the sixth player in team history to post consecutive 1,00-yard seasons. While his rushing yards declined in 2020 to just 681 yards, Carson scored nine touchdowns and had a career-best 4.8 yards per carry.
MOVING FORWARD
The emergence of Rashaad Penny last season helped ease the blow of losing Carson when he was placed on IR. Penny showed the potential the Seahawks saw in him when they used their first-round draft pick in 2018. With Penny’s injury past the Seahawks made a prudent move in this year’s draft when they picked running back Kenneth Walker III in the second round. Walker III won the Doak Walker Award in 2021. The award is given to college football’s best running back. The former Michigan State start will be given every chance to battle for the starting running back position.
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