Seattle Seahawks Announce Brutal Injury News on Saturday

The Seattle Seahawks placed wide receiver Jake Bobo on season-ending injured reserve Saturday, the result of the significant knee injury he suffered during Friday’s joint practice with the Titans.

Seattle signed wide receiver Julian Hicks to fill the open roster spot.

Bobo sustained the injury while attempting a leaping catch near the sideline in the joint practice at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Players from both teams took a knee as trainers examined the 28-year-old’s right knee before he was carted off the field with his leg outstretched.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald described the injury as serious after practice Friday and indicated early returns pointed to a long-term issue. The official roster move Saturday confirmed Bobo will miss the entire 2026 season.

“Our heart goes out to Jake Bobo,” Macdonald said. “It seems like it’s going to be a serious knee. We’re going to get it imaged, but early returns, it looks like it’s a long-term injury. That’s unfortunate.”

Bobo has been a reliable depth piece and special teams contributor since joining the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2023. In 45 regular-season games, including three starts, he has recorded 34 receptions for 323 yards and three touchdowns.

Last season, Bobo appeared in 11 games and caught two passes for 20 yards while playing 17 percent of the offensive snaps and a substantial share of special teams snaps. He added two catches for 33 yards and one touchdown across three playoff games as Seattle advanced to and won Super Bowl LX.

The Seahawks valued Bobo enough this offseason to match a two-year, $5.5 million offer sheet from the Jacksonville Jaguars, retaining him as a restricted free agent. Macdonald praised the receiver’s work ethic and impact in the locker room.

“He’s a beast, man,” Macdonald said. “Just a great football player, a great Seahawk. Hopefully we reflected that in our investment in him. But we love him, we’ll be there beside him as he recovers and we pray it’s a speedy recovery. But we love him.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold echoed the sentiment, noting Bobo’s consistent energy and reliability.

“It hurts, man,” Darnold said. “He’s one of those guys that he works, he talks a lot of stuff and he’s kind of like Devon Witherspoon in a way, offensively. He brings the juice every single day, and he just does his job. So it sucks to lose Bobo but I know he’s going to attack it and be better whenever he comes back.”

The injury marks a setback for the defending Super Bowl champions as they prepare for the regular season. Bobo was projected as a fifth receiver behind starters including Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton, while contributing heavily on special teams.

Hicks, who returns to the Seahawks after a brief stint last weekend, provides depth at the position. The 26-year-old went undrafted out of Albany in 2024 after a college career that also included stops at Central Michigan and Akron. He spent his first two professional seasons primarily on the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad and was waived by Seattle earlier this week to make room for the signing of cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Hicks measured 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds and has yet to record an NFL reception. He will compete for a roster spot as the Seahawks finalize their 53-man roster in the coming weeks.

The joint practice itself featured other heat-related issues for Seattle players in near-90-degree temperatures, including right tackle Abraham Lucas and receiver Montorie Foster Jr., but Macdonald said those were stable and not cause for long-term concern.

Bobo’s absence will test the depth of Seattle’s receiving corps as the team looks to defend its championship. The Seahawks open the regular season on Sept. 9 against the New England Patriots.

For now, the organization has expressed full support for Bobo during his recovery, with Macdonald emphasizing the team’s commitment to standing by him through the rehabilitation process.