RENTON -- The chances the Seahawks ever see top draft pick Malik McDowell on the field this season appear to be very slim.
"I think it sounds like it's a lot to ask right now, but we'll just see. I don't know. It's a serious injury," head coach Pete Carroll said in an interview with Dave "Softy" Mahler after practice on Monday.
Carroll told reporters that McDowell has left Seattle and returned to his home in Michigan to continue recovering after sustaining a concussion and facial injuries in an ATV accident in recent weeks.
"He had a serious accident. He had multiple injuries. He had an injury to his head. It's going to be quite a while and we're going to have to wait it out," Carroll said. He's on (the non-football injury) and is going to be there for a while and we're just going to have to see how he progresses down the road. We're not looking for him getting back in the immediate, not even for the first game of the season or that kind of stuff. We're going to wait it out and see how he does."
Carroll didn't elaborate any further on the injuries McDowell sustained, saying that his family have made requests over how the information is being handled and they're trying to comply with that request. He said they don't believe the injuries are career-threatening. However, the fact he couldn't dismiss the suggestion entirely is revealing of the extent of McDowell's injuries.
"No we don't think so, but we have to wait," he said. "He's just turned 21. We just got to wait him out. He's a real young kid so he's got plenty of time to get well but we have to make sure and take care of him.
"Just got to wait out recovery. He's not working out yet, he can't do anything as far as physical workouts. He's walking is what he's doing. He feels fine. It's very frustrating for him because he feels fine but he's just got to make it through the recovery."
Photo Credit: EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 02: Malik McDowell #4 of the Michigan State Spartans works against Harrison Monk #71 of the Furman Paladins during the first half of a game at Spartan Stadium on September 2, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)