Tory Horton Ruled Out vs. Rams as Seahawks Weigh Big Decision; Other Injury Updates

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald had to deliver a gut punch to 12s on Friday: rookie receiver and returner Tory Horton will not play in Sunday’s NFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Rams, and injured reserve is now on the table for both Horton and starting center Jalen Sundell. Macdonald made the announcements during a press conference. 

Macdonald said Horton’s shin injury was re-imaged this week and that tests revealed issues that will keep him out “for right now,” prompting the decision to rule him out for a second straight game. Sundell, who hurt his knee in last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, has also been ruled out against the Rams as he faces a multi-week recovery.

Neither injury is believed to be season-ending, but Macdonald acknowledged that injured reserve is under consideration for both players to create roster flexibility while they recover.

Seahawks Rule Out Tory Horton vs. Rams as IR Looms

Horton’s absence is a significant blow given how quickly he became one of Seattle’s most explosive playmakers. The fifth-round pick out of Colorado State has turned 13 catches into 161 yards and five touchdowns, and he’s already taken a punt to the house on special teams.

Macdonald explained in his press conference that Horton’s shin had been bothering him coming out of the Cardinals game, and even though Wednesday’s session was more of a walkthrough, lingering pain led the team to take another look. The follow-up imaging revealed enough that the Seahawks decided to shut him down rather than risk a bigger setback just as the schedule hits a critical stretch.

Horton had already missed Week 10 and was limited early in Week 11 before being downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday. By Friday, Macdonald made it official: Horton is out for the Rams game, and the team will now weigh whether to place him on short-term IR.

Sundell, meanwhile, will also be sidelined Sunday. Macdonald has said the starting center will be out “multiple weeks” with his knee issue, though like Horton, his injury is not expected to end his season. Injured reserve is an option there as well.

What Horton & Sundell’s Absences Mean for Seahawks vs. Rams

The good news for Seattle: Macdonald said that outside of Horton and Sundell, everyone else is ready to go against the Rams.

That means linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who has been managing a knee injury, is set to play after missing the Cardinals game. Cornerback Josh Jobe is also on track to return from a concussion after progressing through the protocol and logging full practices this week.

On offense, Jake Bobo is back from the calf injury that sidelined him, and Macdonald said Bobo is “ready to go” if the team needs him. Rookie guard Christian Haynes remains in his return-from-IR practice window and is “ready if needed,” with the Seahawks having until next week to make a final call on activating him.

Macdonald also confirmed that rookie guard Grey Zabel will play, keeping most of the offensive line intact despite Sundell’s absence. Olu Oluwatimi, who stepped in at center during the 44-22 win over Arizona, is expected to start again in the middle. Still, losing a starting center and a red-zone weapon like Horton on the road against a 7-2 Rams team is no small thing. 

On the other side of the ball, Macdonald acknowledged that while Seattle’s offense has been “humming,” the turnover problem can’t continue if the Seahawks want to hit their goals. Seattle has been one of the league’s higher-scoring teams lately, but giveaways have piled up, and Macdonald said they’ve slightly tweaked how they address ball security in team meetings and in practice drills.

Culture-wise, Macdonald again came back to “connectedness.” He talked about veterans like Cooper Kupp and Ernest Jones staying engaged on the sideline when they’ve been hurt and said that energy has set a standard for the younger players. He also mentioned offseason team-building trips — including a bonding trip to Tennessee — as part of why he feels the 2025 group “earned the right” to expect to win each week coming out of training camp.

Stats, Schedule & Context for Seahawks’ Showdown With Rams

Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium is massive for the division race. Both the Seahawks and Rams enter Week 11 at 7-2, tied atop the NFC West. The winner takes sole possession of first place and a head-to-head tiebreaker with nearly half the season still to play.

Seattle is coming off that 44-22 dismantling of the Cardinals, a game where the Seahawks raced to a 28-0 lead and dominated all three phases. Horton did not play in that contest, and now the Seahawks know they will again be without his speed and special-teams juice in Los Angeles.

After the Rams, the Seahawks hit the road to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 12, then return home to host the Minnesota Vikings before traveling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. That stretch makes the timing of Sundell and Horton’s injuries even more delicate: placing either player on IR would cost them at least four games, but keeping both on the 53-man roster could squeeze depth at other spots.

For now, Macdonald’s message is that the Seahawks’ identity — “12 as one” — doesn’t change, even when key pieces go down. Seattle will lean on Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a reshuffled line to keep the offense rolling, while a defense that has carried Macdonald’s aggressive stamp from Baltimore tries to slow Stafford and the Rams in one of Week 11’s marquee games.

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