By MAX WINTERS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 10:29 EST, 17 February 2026 | Updated: 10:29 EST, 17 February 2026
The Seattle Seahawks are unlikely to use their franchise tag on star running back Kenneth Walker III, according to reports.
That means the reigning Super Bowl champions could lose him to free agency with a number of NFL teams expected to be interested in signing him.
Walker was crowned Super Bowl MVP after a dominant performance in Seattle's 29-13 win over the New England Patriots earlier this month.
But now they risk losing him completely after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Seahawks won't tie him down under the franchise tag.
A franchise tag is a one-year, guaranteed contract that allows teams to retain key players approaching free agency.
NFL teams can start allocating them to players on Tuesday but the Seahawks will not be using theirs on Walker as they face a busy offseason following their Super Bowl win.
The Seattle Seahawks are unlikely to use their franchise tag on running back Kenneth Walker III
Owner Jody Allen, coach Mike MacDonald, and GM John Schneider have big decisions to make
Walker was named Super Bowl MVP after a dominant performance in the win over the Patriots
They have a number of free agents they want to extend and a lucrative new contract for star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected. Doing all that after winning a Super Bowl could prove costly to general manager John Schneider.
Walker, who rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries and added 26 receiving yards on two catches against the Patriots, became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII following the 1997 season.
The 25-year-old's 135 rushing yards were also the most by a player in a Super Bowl since Davis.
It came after an impressive season for Walker, who rushed for 1,027 yards on 221 attempts in the regular season. He also scored five touchdowns.
After sharing his workload with Zach Charbonnet throughout the regular season, Walker's fellow running back tore is ACL in the divisional round of the playoffs.
That meant Walker became the team's outright No. 1 and he would go on to record 417 yards in the playoffs, the most of any player in the postseason.
Seattle Seahawks