After appearing in the Super Bowl three years in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs took a massive step backwards in 2025. With their roster obviously aging and their wide receiver room decimated by injuries, the Chiefs finished the year just 6-11. What is worse, quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL late in the season. As a result, he will probably not be ready for the start of the 2026 NFL season.
That all being said, Kansas City has no intention of dwelling in the basement. Indeed, they are hopeful that they can return to Super Bowl contention in 2026. Travis Kelce is likely going to be back for one more run, and the team is busily building a roster that will, on paper, return them to relevance next season.
On Monday, the unofficial start of free agency, they added their first big piece.
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker
Seattle Seahawks, Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
Nov 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) carries the ball against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
NFL teams cannot officially sign free agents until Wednesday. However, Monday marked the beginning of legal tampering, and they can make verbal agreements on contracts.
To that end, it was announced that Kansas City had come to an agreement with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III on a three-year contract:
It’s a three-year deal worth up to $45 million for Kenneth Walker III, who becomes the highest-paid free agent deal for a running back in nfl history. https://t.co/a9vasdqT67
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2026
The Chiefs gave Walker a three-year contract worth $45 million, making him the highest-paid free agent running back in NFL history.
Walker is coming off of a season that saw him rush for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. He had 135 rushing yards (and 161 all-purpose yards) in the Super Bowl on his way to winning the game’s MVP Award.
A physical runner, Walker gives the Chiefs a brutal bruising back who will fit right in with Andy Reid’s offense. Now, Kansas City must turn their attention to fortifying their offensive line, or else having Walker will not matter much.
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