Seattle center Jalen Sundell exited Sunday’s 44-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals with a knee injury in the second quarter and did not return. Head coach Mike Macdonald said postgame the early belief is it’s not season-ending, pending imaging.
After Sundell left, backup center Olu Oluwatimi took over, and the Seahawks’ offense kept grinding on the ground, finishing with 198 rushing yards on 46 attempts while surrendering just one sack in a dominant NFC West victory.
### Mike Macdonald: ‘We’ll Get It Imaged’
Sundell left in the second quarter with a knee injury and was ruled out. Asked postgame about the severity, head coach Mike Macdonald pumped the brakes but offered cautious optimism.
“It’s his knee. Not sure on the severity. It looked like he was in good spirits,” he said. “We’ll see. We’ll get it imaged and move on from there. I don’t think it’s season-ending — that could come back to haunt me — but that’s my sense right now.”
Macdonald added that he wanted to review the film on Oluwatimi’s performance but liked the feel of the run game with him in the middle.
“I don’t know how he played, but it felt like we moved the ball when we ran it, and the center drives that,” Macdonald said. “I can’t wait to watch it.”
### Olu Oluwatimi Takes Over as Run Game Rolls
Oluwatimi, a third-year center, handled the snaps after Sundell departed. Unfortunately, Oluwatimi and quarterback Sam Darnold’s very first snap resulted in a fumble, which led to the Cardinals scoring their first points of the game while Seattle had all but dominated to that point.
Darnold said the unit will use this week to tighten details with a new voice at center:
“We just gotta continue to work together,” Darnold said. “We got as many snaps as possible together. We have to clean that up, obviously.”
Even with the mid-game switch, Seattle’s offensive line controlled the trenches:
– 198 rushing yards on 46 attempts (4.3 yards per carry)
– Zach Charbonnet and third-stringer George Holani scoring
– Only one sack allowed on 12 pass attempts (Darnold only threw one pass in the second half)
– 14 rushing first downs and 6-of-10 on third down, sustaining drives
– 6.3 yards per play and 13.4 yards per pass attempt, reflecting clean pockets and balance
Those numbers underscore a front that kept its composure and allowed Seattle to close it out on the ground.
### What It Means Going Forward
Seattle improved to 7-2 and swept Arizona for the fourth straight season. If Sundell misses time, Oluwatimi projects as the next man up with a pivotal divisional trip ahead.
Seattle has leaned on a physical identity, and Sunday’s performance — five takeaways overall and a punishing run game — fits that mold.
Sundell had played 94% of available snaps this season, according to Pro Football Reference. He was seen as a major upgrade to the center position after only playing 7% of snaps in 2024.
One immediate focus this week will be cadence, calls, and chemistry with Oluwatimi as the voice of the line. Exchange on shotgun snaps and clean identification in the run game can keep Seattle on schedule while Sundell rehabs.
The staff trusts Oluwatimi’s preparedness and temperament; if he starts, the Seahawks will lean on their guard tandem to help streamline protections.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/jalen-sundell-injury-oluwatimi/