The Seattle Seahawks will be without tight end Elijah Arroyo for the remainder of the 2026 NFL season after he underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday. The news came just ahead of Seattle’s Week 7 game against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, dealing a significant blow to the team’s offensive plans.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Arroyo’s surgery is season-ending, cutting short the second-year tight end’s campaign before it had a chance to gain momentum. The 23-year-old was expected to take on a larger role this season after showing promise during his rookie year and the preseason.
Arroyo caught 15 of 26 targets for 179 yards and one touchdown in 2025, a season that saw the Seahawks make a deep run to the Super Bowl. This year, his involvement had been limited, recording just one catch on two targets for 17 yards before the injury. In the preseason, he had four receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown, which had raised hopes for a breakout sophomore season.
With Arroyo sidelined, Seattle will rely more heavily on AJ Barner, who remains the team’s primary tight end. Erid Saubert and Nick Kallerup round out the depth chart at the position, but neither has matched the potential Arroyo showed coming into the season.
The Seahawks currently hold a 3-3 record and may look to address tight end depth ahead of the November trade deadline if they want to improve their standing. The loss of a young player with Arroyo’s skill set complicates those plans, especially against a Chiefs team that has yet to lose in 2026.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks did receive some positive news on Thursday as running back Zach Charbonnet was activated from the physically unable to perform list. Charbonnet’s return offers some stability in the backfield as Seattle navigates the rest of a challenging schedule.
Arroyo’s shoulder surgery and the resulting absence come at a difficult time for the Seahawks. The offense had been counting on the second-round draft pick from 2025 to provide a reliable target and help stretch the field. Now, with his season ended abruptly, Seattle must adjust quickly.
The team faces the Chiefs on Sunday, a matchup that already posed a tough test without the added complication of losing a promising tight end. The injury leaves the Seahawks with little margin for error as they attempt to keep pace in a competitive division.
Elijah Arroyo will focus on recovery and aims to return for the 2027 season after a campaign cut short by injury. For now, Seattle must adapt with the personnel available and find new ways to fill the void left on offense.
According to Yahoo Sports.