Chiefs make immediate splash, set to sign Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs sign Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three‑year, $43.05M deal.
- Walker should boost Chiefs' explosiveness and playmaking in the running game.
- Move aims to take pressure off Patrick Mahomes as he returns from an injury.
The Kansas City Chiefs finally have their answer at running back, and it’s the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
Now-former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III will sign with the Chiefs when the new league year begins Wednesday, which he announced on X/Twitter. Walker will reportedly join Kansas City on a three-year contract worth $43.05 million, with a maximum value of $45 million and $28.7 million guaranteed.
Walker, 25, entered the league as a second-round pick out of Michigan State in the 2022 NFL Draft. In four seasons in Seattle, Walker appeared in 58 games, totaling 821 carries for 3,555 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 133 passes for 1,005 yards with two touchdowns through the air
Against the New England Patriots in Seattle’s Super Bowl win, Walker had 29 touches for 161 all-purpose yards.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach cited the team’s biggest weakness as a lack of explosiveness in the running game.
“We’ve invested in that interior with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey, two of the best in the league, and we thought Kingsley (Suamataia) made a big step,” Veach said. “Those are three talented interior players. We’ve talked about it and coach (Andy Reid) has done an amazing job with his staff cranking on that scheme eval, but I think being more explosive in the running game and really taking advantage of those interior three to impose your will on an opposing team’s defense.”
The addition of Walker should certainly boost Kansas City in that department.
“The running game takes a lot of pressure off of everybody, so I think if we can be more explosive and more effective in the running game — obviously — we take a lot of pressure off Pat (Mahomes) especially coming back early in the season with an injury,” Veach added.
Walker joins Brashard Smith in Kansas City’s 2026 running backs room. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are unrestricted free agents.
