Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny has been outstanding since taking over the starting role in the backfield. Following his best game of the season, Penny opened up on his successes of late, as well as the injury struggles he battled early on in his career and the toll that had on him.

Via Gregg Bell of the News Tribune, Penny got brutally honest on the injuries which plagued his career early on, revealing that he felt like he was letting the fanbase and team down.

“I always felt like the speed was there,” Penny said. “But again, it was me being available. I think that was probably the hardest part of my career, just always being available and playing on Sunday. When you kind of think like that, like, ‘I’ll never be available,’ it was hard for me.

“I felt like I let people down as far as being hurt all of the time, not making it to Sundays, and not showing my true potential,” he said, “because I really know what I can do,” Penny said later. “I feel like they drafted me here for a reason and I feel like I can give a lot when I’m healthy.”

He's absolutely right about his production when healthy. Penny has the most rushing yards in the NFL since December of last year, and he logged his first 100-plus rushing yard game of the season in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions. Despite heading into halftime with fewer than 10 yards, Penny finished the game on a high note, rushing 17 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, his first two of the year.

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GM John Schneider in the middle, Kris Jenkins, Cooper Beebe, Cedric Gray around him, and Seattle Seahawks wallpaper in the background

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A blank silhouette/outline of a person with the logo for the Seattle Seahawks in the middle. On either side of the silhouette/outline are University of Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and University of Georgia tackle Amarius Mims.

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Former Mike Macdonald and Geno Smith mentor Pete Carroll with John Schneider

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Last season, Penny registered at least 135 rushing yards in four of his final five games. While he fell short of the 100-yard threshold in Weeks 1 to 3, he bested the mark in Week 4 in what was his best game of the season.

Rashaad Penny, despite being a first-round pick in 2018, didn't make a start in the NFL until 2021 after Chris Carson went down with an injury. From 2018 to 2020, Penny featured in a total of 27 games while limited by injuries and being stuck on the depth chart. He's started all four games for the Seahawks this year and has managed to stay healthy, something he hopes to maintain as the season progresses.