The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to turn things around in 2026, and if all goes to plan, Kenneth Walker will be a big part of it. After winning Super Bowl LX MVP honors in February as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Walker came to Kansas City on a three-year, $43.05 million contract to line up with Patrick Mahomes in the same backfield.
Money and Mahomes’s aura aside, it may have been a tough decision to leave Seattle after winning a Super Bowl. But when discussing the move on The Up & Adams Show on Tuesday, it’s clear that Walker believes he is in a better place than he was in his role with the Seahawks.
“It feels good to be appreciated and wanted somewhere,” Walker told FanDuel’s Kay Adams. “I know they got high expectations, and I’m ready to carry that on my shoulders.”
Chiefs Ready to Give Kenneth Walker the Role He’s Always Wanted
Calling a move to a new team a better move after the star turn Walker made last season is a bold proclamation. But it might be true, considering all that Kansas City offered compared to the Seahawks.
Walker split a backfield with Zach Charbonnet for most of his four seasons in Seattle. While he remained productive, he didn’t become a true workhorse until Charbonnet went down with a torn ACL during the Seahawks’ divisional round win over the San Francisco 49ers. The 25-year-old exploded in the remainder of that game, running for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, and finished the postseason with 313 yards and four touchdowns, including 135 yards in the Super Bowl win over the Patriots.
From there, it was a matter of feeling wanted, and the Chiefs put on the full-court press to get Walker to Kansas City. Walker told Adams that Mahomes heavily recruited him as he approached free agency, and the rest of the infrastructure provided the final selling points, including a chance to be more involved in the passing game.
“We’ve been working on getting connected in the passing game and everything, so that’s good,” Walker told Adams. “I feel like I’ll be used more in the pass game.”
In addition, Walker has the chance to work alongside Eric Bienemy, who has a stellar reputation for developing running backs. Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Kareem Hunt are just some of the backs who have thrived under Bieniemy’s guidance. Walker may be the next in line if he can capitalize on the opportunities coming in Kansas City.
Fifth-round draft pick Emmett Johnson could potentially eat into Walker’s workload after Andy Reid compared him to former All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy. But his comments make it seem like he’s going to get all he can handle from the Chiefs’ coaching staff. With Kansas City retooling its offense to feature a more explosive running game, Walker seems to have found the one team that offers an upgrade on his previous situation and one that could have the Chiefs running their way back to contention this fall.
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