The Kansas City Chiefs made one of the biggest signings of the offseason when they brought in reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker. A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Michigan State product spent most of the past three seasons as the 1A in a two-headed backfield with fellow second-round pick Zach Charbonnet. However, Charbonnet suffered a season-ending injury early in Seattle’s postseason run, and Walker stepped up with the increased workload.
Kenneth Walker was borderline unstoppable in the playoffs, recording 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 65 attempts while adding another nine receptions for 104 yards in the air. He capped it all off with a dominant Super Bowl performance, recording 135 rushing yards on 27 carries while leading the Seahawks to a lopsided 29-13 Super Bowl victory. This stretch made him one of the biggest names on the free agent market, and it didn’t take long for Kansas City to sign him to a massive three-year, $43 million deal.
While it’s rare for players like Kenneth Walker to leave their original team after such a strong performance, the running back said he knew he likely wouldn’t return to Seattle in 2026. During a recent interview, the reigning Super Bowl MVP said that he knew he wouldn’t be back midway through the previous season.
“I would say probably, if I’m being honest, probably like sometime during the season,” Walker said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “You know, things aren’t working out how I was expecting to, and that’s all right. It worked out for the team. So sometime during the season and then we get to free agency, pretty much knowing like you weren’t gonna be there no more.”
Kenneth Walker Knew He’d Leave Seahawks After 2025, Join Chiefs
Reading between the lines, it’s safe to say Kenneth Walker wanted a bigger role than the Seattle Seahawks were able to give him. While he earned a massive workload in the playoffs, that only came by necessity. Walker finished the regular season with a combined 252 touches while appearing in all 17 games. Zach Charbonnet, by comparison, had 204 in 16 games. It’s hard to argue with those results, as Seattle went 13-3 in the regular season, but nobody can blame Walker for seeking a larger workload and a higher payday.
Even though Walker knew he probably wouldn’t return to the Seahawks, it appears both sides left on good terms. General Manager John Schneider said he wanted to re-sign Walker ahead of the Super Bowl, and shortly after the big game, Walker said those feelings were mutual. However, the business side got in the way, and Walker understandably joined an organization willing to pay him big bucks to be the unquestioned RB1 in the offense.
New Backfields
After spending his time in a split backfield in Seattle, Walker will be the featured back in Andy Reid’s offense for the foreseeable future. There was a time when Andy Reid’s starting running back was practically guaranteed to finish top-five in all-purpose yards. However, the Chiefs haven’t had a proper starting running back since the original Kareem Hunt days. While seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco had his moments, he’s not a starting-caliber back and is better off in a supporting role. Walker can bring a much-needed new element to this offense, especially since Patrick Mahomes might need time to knock off the rust as he returns from a torn ACL.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, will continue their two-headed backfield approach with veteran Zach Charbonnet and first-round pick Jadarian Price. While Charbonnet will likely lead the backfield in 2026, he will be a free agent after the season and could follow Walker to a bigger payday. If that happens, Price could be the featured back in the offense as soon as 2027. Price’s collegiate numbers aren’t what you’d normally expect from a first-round pick, but it’s worth noting he played behind a legitimate superstar in Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. Only time will tell what Price can do at the NFL level.