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- Mar 20, 2019
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Rashaad Penny, the Seahawks’ first-round draft pick in 2018, didn’t even make it into the regular season before he needed surgery to repair a finger injury. Although he didn’t miss any games with the finger injury, he did miss the final two games with a knee injury.
Penny said his nagging finger injury taught him patience.
“That’s definitely frustrating,” Penny said, via Curtis Crabtree of PFT and Sports Radio KJR. “Definitely when you have a finger issue, as a running back you need all your fingers. It is frustrating, and it was frustrating for me as a rookie. I didn’t know how to take it. I’ve never been hurt playing football in my life, so when that happened, I just hit a wall. I’m glad that I’ve grown up. Over these past months and this offseason, I’ve just started taking everything seriously by treating my body right and doing the little things. Also I think what helped me was losing all that extra weight. Now I feel better. I don’t have all those nagging injuries. I’m at my best.”
Penny hired a nutritionist who has him under 230 pounds and feeling “better than I’ve ever felt.” He also has spent time with Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, learning to be a pro.
Penny said he began working with Faulk in January. The San Diego State products met Mondays and Wednesdays for two hours each day.
“Just the little things,” Penny said when asked what Faulk taught him. “I send him the playbook and he shows me what to look for. We watch like videos on Facetime. I’m just trying to learn the dynamics of being more of a pro.”
Penny rushed for 419 yards and two touchdowns on 85 carries as a rookie, while catching nine passes for 75 yards.