Running back Kenneth Walker says Chiefs made it clear he was ‘wanted.’ Here’s how
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs sign Kenneth Walker to a three-year, $43.05M deal with $28.7M guaranteed.
- Walker meets Mahomes and Bieniemy; Chiefs signal greater emphasis on rushing.
- Signing makes Walker the Chiefs’ "unquestioned" lead back amid shift toward more rushing.
The Chiefs on Thursday introduced marquee free-agent running back Kenneth Walker to the media. Earlier in the week, Kansas City agreed to terms with the reigning Super Bowl MVP on a three-year contract worth $43.05 million, including $28.7 million guaranteed.
Walker, 25, who spent the first four years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, said it was the Chiefs’ swift financial commitment that made him feel valued.
“It means a lot,” he said. “You feel appreciated and wanted — that’s what everybody wants. So I’m just happy to get in here and get to know the guys and work.”
One of the teammates Walker is referring to is a fellow Super Bowl MVP: quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As soon as the Chiefs made the splash signing, Mahomes posted, “LET’S GO!!” on his X account.
Walker met Mahomes in person Wednesday.
“We talked on the phone and texted each other, and I was able to see him,” he said. “It was cool to meet him — a real genuine person.”
Walker enters the fold in Kansas City at a time when the offense could be shifting its identity. His signing hints that the Chiefs could place a greater emphasis on running the football at a higher volume in 2026, particularly from under center.
Returning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who’s guided names like Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles and, most recently, D’Andre Swift to rushing success, will now be tasked with making the most of the team’s prized acquisition.
Walker, who also met with Bieniemy during his trip to KC, described his new coordinator as “pretty intense.”
“The more he talks about (the game), the more intense he gets,” Walker said of Bieniemy. “But you want a person like that who’s passionate about the game, so I’m excited to get to work with him.”
Despite being in a timeshare with Zach Charbonnet last season in Seattle, Walker still eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards — something no Chiefs player has done since Kareem Hunt’s rookie season in 2017.
Part of feeling “wanted” likely includes the Chiefs’ commitment that Walker will be the unquestioned guy in Kansas City.
“You’ve got to be patient,” he said of his decision to leave Seattle. “You don’t know who really wants you. It’s kind of like I guess the draft in a sense where you don’t know where you’re going to go. I would say really being patient and letting my agents do their job.”
Last season was a strange one for the Chiefs, which has naturally led to a different and unique vibe this offseason. Kansas City is used to acquiring players because it’s coming off a Super Bowl, not trying to return to the playoffs.
On Thursday, the franchise introduced Walker, a reigning Super Bowl champ, and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, who was on the New England Patriots team that faced Walker’s Seahawks in the NFL’s title game.
“He’s a dog,” Tonga said of Walker. “We got to see it in February, unfortunately, but I’m super happy to be able to be his teammate.”
The duo’s arrival signals a new era in Kansas City, but that February goal for both remains the same.
