The Seattle Seahawks are about to kick off the 2026 season with a backfield that looks totally different from the one that just delivered us a Super Bowl ring. Our Super Bowl LX MVP, the guy who dominated every game in 2025, is gone, Emerald City. We all remember watching him absolutely tear apart the Patriots defense with 27 carries for 135 hard-fought yards, plus two crucial catches for 26 more, in our 29-13 championship win. That man was a beast! He rushed for an incredible 1,027 yards last season, his first time breaking a thousand since his rookie year back in 2022. But after that mind-blowing performance, our star rusher hit free agency, and boom, he signed a three-year, up-to-$45 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Losing our MVP, just like that, felt like a punch to the gut after we’d just hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
A Draft Pick Stepping Into the Spotlight Early
So, with that massive void, what’s the plan for our reigning champs, you ask? We answered that question big time, just 45 days after the Super Bowl, on Day 1 of the NFL Draft. We snagged Jadarian Price with the last pick of the first round. This kid was a four-star recruit right out of high school, committing to the Fighting Irish in 2022. He hit a major setback early, suffering a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon in the offseason of what should have been his true freshman year. He finally started his college career in 2023 and racked up 1,692 yards and found the end zone 21 times on the ground. Even Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel couldn’t help but praise Price, calling out his “great speed” and “patience.” Vrabel specifically said, “Jadarian’s got great speed. He’s a slasher. He’ll test edges. He’s got great patience. But, I watched him circle guys up in college fairly easily. So, the speed, I think, is real.” This rookie sounds like he’s built to test those edges for us.
The Unfortunate Twist: Charbonnet’s Heartbreaking Injury
Here’s the real kicker: Price is now stepping in as the feature running back for our reigning champs in his rookie year, but it’s an opportunity that likely wouldn’t have come this soon without a gut-wrenching injury. Zach Charbonnet, the 25-year-old running back who was absolutely poised for a breakout year, tore his ACL. That devastating hit happened in our dominant 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers during last year’s divisional round of the playoffs. Charbonnet was coming off a career-high season in both carries and rushing yards, and he was tied for sixth across the entire NFL with 12 touchdowns. All of that production came in a secondary role, playing behind our departed MVP. This was finally going to be his year to be the primary back, to truly shine, but now that dream will have to wait. So, as we gear up for Wednesday’s season opener, it’s Price who takes the lead, with George Holani and Emanuel Wilson ready to back him up. It’s a huge moment for this rookie, and the 12s at Lumen Field are ready to see what he’s got against the Patriots!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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