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INJURY UPDATE. Rookie OL Who Hasn't Allowed a Sack in 7+ Games Suffers Serious Knee Injury While Trying to Protect QB Sam Darnold. “I've Never Played a Game This Brutal in My Life”

Seattle, Washington. 17/11/2025

The Seattle Seahawks didn’t just leave SoFi Stadium with a 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. They also lost one of their brightest emerging stars of the season. rookie offensive lineman Grey Zabel. who had gone more than seven games without allowing a single sack on his quarterback.

Injury Updates From The Seahawks' Week 11 Loss To The Rams

But in a defining fourth-quarter moment. as Sam Darnold faced relentless pressure from the Rams’ defense. Zabel suffered a devastating knee injury while throwing his body into a blitz coming off the left edge. He collapsed to the turf in visible agony. forcing trainers and team doctors to rush in. A heavy silence fell over the Seahawks’ sideline as Zabel tried to get up but couldn’t put weight on his leg.

Seattle later confirmed a knee injury and announced that imaging tests will be conducted Monday to determine the severity. However. based on how Zabel left the field. fears of a long-term absence are growing rapidly.

Inside the locker room. the 23-year-old rookie spoke with red-rimmed eyes as he described the moment.

“I’ve never played a game this brutal in my life. They were coming from every direction and all I could think about was staying on my feet long enough to protect Sam. I felt my knee fold in a way I never want to experience again. but I still tried to hold on for a few more seconds. That’s my responsibility. that’s my job for this team.”

Seattle’s offense felt the impact immediately. Zabel wasn’t just a rookie. he had been one of the most reliable linemen on the roster. allowing zero sacks and committing only one penalty through more than half the season. Losing him shakes the foundation of Seattle’s protection unit at one of the most critical stages of the year.

Head coach Mike Macdonald offered words of support while acknowledging Zabel’s importance.
He said the team will “pray for the best outcome.” but must prepare for every possibility.

Sam Darnold. the quarterback Zabel was protecting on the play the injury occurred. kept his message short but heartfelt.

“He fought until the very last second. I owe him a lot.”

Seattle now waits anxiously for the test results—hoping this injury won’t become the premature end to what had been an extremely promising rookie season for Grey Zabel.

Just Three Hours After Being Released by the Packers, 2× Pro Bowl Star Deletes Every Post About Green Bay After His Attempt to Take a Pay Cut to Stay Was Rejected — His Vow Never to Return Leaves Packers Nation in Sympathy
Green Bay, Wisconsin – The offseason took an emotional turn for the Green Bay Packers when the organization decided to release veteran offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins as part of a salary-cap adjustment. But what happened just hours later turned the situation into one of the most emotional storylines of the week across the NFL. According to multiple reports, Jenkins — a two-time Pro Bowl selection and former All-Pro honoree — had attempted to negotiate with the team and even offered to take a pay cut in order to remain with the franchise that originally drafted him. The effort ultimately fell short as Green Bay chose to move forward with a roster reset, clearing nearly $20 million in cap space for the 2026 season. Just three hours after the release became official, fans began noticing something unusual on Jenkins’ social media accounts. Every post connected to his years in Green Bay — from locker room celebrations to photos wearing the iconic green-and-gold uniform — had quietly disappeared. Jenkins had been one of the pillars of the Packers’ offensive line since being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. Throughout multiple seasons, he built a reputation for rare versatility, capable of playing guard, tackle, and center at an elite level, and was widely regarded as one of the most reliable and flexible offensive linemen in the league. At his peak, Jenkins was often described as Green Bay’s “secret weapon” on the offensive front. He protected multiple quarterbacks over the years and helped anchor an offense that consistently remained competitive during several playoff runs. His ability to seamlessly shift across nearly every position along the offensive line made him one of the most trusted players inside the Packers’ locker room. At first, the decision to erase those memories surprised many fans. But once reports surfaced that Jenkins had been willing to sacrifice financially just to remain with the team, the reaction across Packers Nation quickly shifted from shock to empathy. Green Bay will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s where my journey truly began. But sometimes you fight to stay somewhere and still realize that chapter has ended, and when that moment comes, the only thing you can do is walk away with respect for every memory that was built there. While Jenkins did not criticize the organization, sources close to the situation say the emotional weight of the release influenced his decision to remove the posts. What surprised many even more was the report that Jenkins has told people close to him that he does not plan to return to Green Bay at any point in his career, choosing instead to start an entirely new chapter elsewhere in the NFL. Yet instead of anger, the reaction from Packers fans has largely been one of understanding. For many supporters, Jenkins’ willingness to take a pay cut simply reinforced what they had long believed. He wasn’t just protecting the quarterback on Sundays.He was trying to protect a home he once hoped would last his entire career.