McIntosh injury opens door for Seahawks rookie RB Damien Martinez

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh entered training camp with an opportunity.

An opportunity to build on a strong finish to last season. An opportunity to carve out a larger role in Seattle’s new offense. An opportunity to propel his career forward after missing most of his 2023 rookie season with an injury and then earning limited snaps for most of 2024.

But just four days into camp, McIntosh’s 2025 season likely ended before it ever began. McIntosh went down with a torn ACL during Saturday’s practice and was placed on injured reserve Monday.

“It’s obviously really unfortunate,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. “We love Kenny. … What he needs from us is our support, our prayers. It’s gonna be a tough road, but he’s the man for the job.”

Yet in the next-man-up world of the NFL, McIntosh’s injury provides an opportunity for others. And in this case, that means rookie seventh-round pick Damien Martinez and second-year pro George Holani – who are now the top two contenders for Seattle’s third running back spot behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.

Here’s a closer look at both Martinez and Holani.

Damien Martinez

Martinez, who was expected to give McIntosh a tough battle for the RB3 spot, is now the front-runner for that role.

The 6-foot, 217-pound Martinez is a tough, physical, tackle-breaking back who rushed for a combined 3,169 yards, 6.2 yards per carry and 26 touchdowns over his standout three-year college career.

Martinez spent his first two seasons at Oregon State, where he ran for a combined 2,167 yards and 16 TDs in 2022 and 2023. That included a big performance against the UW Huskies in 2023, when he totaled 167 scrimmage yards and two TDs in the driving rain while nearly leading the Beavers to an upset over the eventual national runners-up.

Martinez then transferred to Miami, where he had another productive season in 2024. He ran for 1,002 yards and 10 TDs with the Hurricanes, while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He also had 17 catches for 204 yards.

Martinez averaged 4.46 yards after contact per attempt last season, according to Pro Football Focus. That was the third-best mark among all FBS running backs who had at least 150 carries, trailing only No. 6 overall draft pick Ashton Jeanty of Boise State (5.25) and fourth-round pick Bhayshul Tuten of Virginia Tech (4.47).

Yet while he’s known for his ability to bulldoze through defenders, Martinez also has decent speed for his size. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine earlier this year, which was middle of the pack among running backs.

Macdonald said Martinez had his best day of camp on Monday, which was the first day the Seahawks were allowed to practice with pads.

“I think today was his best day he’s had,” Macdonald said. “… I had a feeling that he would show up a little bit more with the pads, so hopefully that trend continues.”

George Holani

Holani likely would have had a difficult path to a roster spot prior to McIntosh’s injury. But now, he moves one slot up the depth chart and figures to be Martinez’s biggest competition for the third running back spot.

Last year, as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State, Holani compiled a strong preseason that had him flirting with a 53-man roster spot. He rushed for 66 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in Seattle’s three preseason games and gave McIntosh a tight battle for the RB3 spot before ultimately landing on the practice squad.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Holani appeared in five total games for the Seahawks last season, with most of his action coming on 36 special teams snaps. He finished with three carries for 10 yards – with all three carries coming in Seattle’s Week 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Like Martinez, Holani had a productive college career. He rushed 3,596 yards and 26 touchdowns over five seasons at Boise State, including a pair of 1,000-yard campaigns in 2019 and 2022. Holani actually was ahead of Jeanty on Boise State’s depth chart in 2022, serving as the Broncos’ lead back that season. Holani then spent 2023 as Jeanty’s backup.

Holani’s special teams experience – both with the Seahawks and Boise State – could help his case for a roster spot.

“We love the guys we have, so that’s a positive,” Macdonald said when asked about Seattle’s running back depth in the wake of McIntosh’s injury. “It’s hard to say you’re deep at any position at any given point, because you know how fast these things can happen. But Damien had a good today. George has been doing a great job. So we’re excited about those guys.”