The Seattle Seahawks signed cornerback Brandon Johnson and placed lead running back Zach Charbonnet on the injured reserve list, while the World Cup gave the city’s dating scene a boost—bringing tourists and seemingly wiping away the city’s “Seattle chill.”
Seattle Seahawks sign former Eagles cornerback Brandon Johnson
Ahead of training camp, the Seattle Seahawks strengthened their depth at cornerback by signing 23-year-old Brandon Johnson. To make room on the 90-man roster, the team waived tight end Harrison Bryant.
Johnson played his NFL rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles, joining them as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Oregon. In three games, one of them in the starting lineup, he recorded three tackles and one pass defensed in the end zone. In June, the Eagles released Johnson. His college career began at Duke, where in 2023 he earned an honorable mention for the ACC’s All-Conference team. After transferring to Oregon for his final year, Johnson earned an honorable mention in the Big Ten after making 45 tackles, five passes defensed, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one interception across 14 games, helping the Ducks reach the College Football Playoff semifinal. Over four years in college, he totaled 173 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed, eight sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Despite not having standout size (5 feet 10 inches, 185 pounds), Johnson proved to be a versatile defender, able to play both in coverage and near the line of scrimmage.
Harrison Bryant, an experienced six-year pro, joined the Seahawks in April. Last season, he appeared in 12 games for the Houston Texans, catching only two passes for seven yards. His release is a logical move, given that the team already has multiple tight ends under contract, and it needed roster space to add at cornerback.
According to Seattle Sports, the deal is part of preparations for a training camp that begins Saturday. In the days before camp, the Seahawks also expect updates on rookie Nick Emmanuori’s status, who could be placed on PUP (physically unable to perform). Signing Johnson adds depth to a position where several players are competing for a roster spot, including potential starting roles. For Johnson himself, it’s a chance to rebound after an early release from Philadelphia and secure a place in the NFL by leaning on his successful college track record, where he delivered consistent defensive play.
Seahawks place lead running back Zach Charbonnet on injured list before training camp
One day before training camp opened, the Seattle Seahawks announced that they are placing their starting running back, Zach Charbonnet, on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. The decision was expected, as the player is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in a playoff win over the San Francisco 49ers on January 18. Surgery followed in February, and now the team must begin preparing for the season without its top remaining running back.
Charbonnet became the fifth Seahawks player on the PUP list: joining him are running back Kenny McIntosh, safety Nick Emmanuori, cornerback Tyron Broden, and defensive lineman Devin Eastern. McIntosh is also recovering from a torn ACL suffered during last year’s camp, while Broden is dealing with a leg injury that caused him to miss the end of the previous season. Emmanuori and Eastern are both dealing with injuries whose details have not been made public, though a team source said the safety’s issue involves an ankle sprain sustained even before the Super Bowl and is not considered serious. Emmanuori himself said in June that he was fully recovered, but the coaching staff chose to be cautious at the start of camp.
The Seahawks’ veterans were expected to report to the facility on Friday, but some have already been through their medical examinations, and any who do not pass are temporarily placed on PUP. It’s possible that more names will be added in the coming days. For Charbonnet, a second-round pick in the 2023 draft from the University of California, Los Angeles, the injury is a major setback. Last season he became the team’s leading rusher with 730 yards and 12 touchdowns after Kenneth Walker III left for the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent. Typically, recovery from an ACL tear takes about nine months, suggesting a return no earlier than late October to early November. However, the club has not given any timeline. In June, head coach Mike Macdonald said only: “He’s working well. I know he has high expectations of himself, and we’re looking forward to seeing what comes of that.” During the offseason program, Charbonnet himself worked on conditioning several times away from the main group.
With two key running backs unavailable at camp, the Seahawks will work with four healthy backs: first-round rookie Jadarian Price, free agent Emmanuel Wilson, as well as veterans George Holani and Jacardyian Wright. Among the receivers is Velus Jones Jr., who played for Seattle last season both as a receiver and on the running back side (4 carries for 32 yards) and also received reps there again during the offseason practices. Fullbacks Robbie Uttz and Brady Russell are also on the roster. Charbonnet’s outlook remains uncertain: if he stays on PUP by the start of the regular season, he will miss at least the first four games. For now, both the team and the player are trying not to get ahead of themselves, focusing instead on daily rehab work. In a piece for The Seattle Times, the paper noted that the situation should become clearer as camp goes on, but for now the coaching staff will have to look for options in the backfield without its most experienced running back.
World Cup boosts Seattle’s dating life
Known for its “Seattle chill”—an unwritten code of restraint in how people interact—Seattle has unexpectedly turned into a place for dating during the World Cup. As reported by The Seattle Times, millions of tourists who poured into the city center breathed new life into a local dating scene long considered one of the most hopeless in the United States.
A survey conducted by DatingAdvice.com in July among 1,000 single residents across 11 U.S. cities hosting games found that nearly 70% of respondents said their personal lives improved during the tournament. Half of the survey participants admitted they went on a date or had intimate relations with someone visiting fans. Seattle led the way: 80% of local respondents said the championship made their city more interesting for romantic meetups. At the same time, as the article clarifies, the tournament began June 11 and ended with a final between Spain and Argentina—likely referring to a hypothetical or upcoming 2026 World Cup that will indeed be held in the United States.
Dating app data supports the same trend. Tinder recorded a 48% increase in matches in Seattle compared with the month before the tournament. Most international visitors came from Canada, India, and Mexico, while among domestic tourists, residents of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York were most common. Ben Kinney, a 32-year-old bartender at the historic Merchant’s Cafe saloon, said that during the World Cup wave, apps became more active—especially in the queer culture segment. In his view, men were willing to agree to meet after just a couple of messages, while for women the safety barrier remained high: they needed more time to establish trust.
Jasmine Rodriguez, 27, from Tacoma, who before the tournament had been disappointed by online dating and was getting fewer and fewer responses, noticed a sudden spike in activity right after the matches began. She started going to group screenings several times a week, where she met fans from different countries. Once, she accidentally ran into the Australian national team on the street and sent them air kisses—then woke up the next morning with dozens of phone numbers from “Soccerus” fans. Rodriguez admits that before the tournament she had become cynical and hardened due to setbacks in her personal life, but the atmosphere of watching together gave her new hope.
Still, it remains an open question whether these spontaneous connections will grow into long-term relationships. Even so, Kinney and Rodriguez agree: despite the notorious “Seattle chill” (a concept describing locals’ persistent unwillingness for superficial interaction), the city can be a great place to date under the right circumstances. The World Cup became that chance for single Seattleites—the one that let them believe in romance, and that belief, judging by appearances, has not faded with the final whistle. For instance, Rodriguez herself met a local man on Hinge in early June and shared on TikTok about an unpressured breakfast she called “the healthiest date without pressure.” They didn’t manage to watch any matches together, but they’re still talking and plan to meet again.
