Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is anticipating that Marshawn Lynch will return to the team on Monday with the hope that he could play in the playoff opener the following weekend.
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch won’t play in the regular season finale at Arizona Sunday.
But coach Pete Carroll said on Friday that he expects Lynch to return to the team on Monday and begin practicing for the post-season opener the following weekend.
“I’m anticipating that,” Carroll said.
Lynch had abdominal surgery on Nov. 25 in Philadelphia and has not played with the Seahawks since Nov. 15. Since the surgery and a couple-week recovery period Lynch has been largely in the Bay Area working out with MMA trainer Tareq Azim.
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Carroll said Friday that Lynch has been able to work out recently without any ill effects the next day, which is a key step in the rehab process.
“The latest update today is that he’s doing really well and he’s done about all he can do at that end of it,” Carroll said. “So it’s great to hear. We’ll see what that means here in the next couple of days. But he’s really tried to get back as soon as possible. He’s having the kind of success in the workouts not setting him back.”
Carroll initially said “we’re hoping that means that he has a chance to get back to us next week” and then when asked if Lynch could be back by Monday he said “I have an expectation of that. Let me say I’m anticipating that.”
The Seahawks will play at Arizona with a combination of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown at tailback but are hoping to have Lynch return for a playoff run.
Lynch, who turned 29 in April, has 417 yards on 111 carries, an average of 3.8 per attempt, having played in seven games this season.