Kenneth Walker III Is Back in Seattle, and the Seahawks’ Backfield Questions Remain

The sight of a Kansas City Chiefs fan holding a sign at Arrowhead Stadium was funny, pointed, and very online: "COME BACK HOME K9!! PLZ!!!" The fan wore a royal blue Seahawks jersey, and the runner he wanted to come home was Kenneth Walker III.

Moments after Walker ripped off a 33-yard touchdown run Sunday inside Arrowhead Stadium, the CBS broadcast showed the sign, and the image became part of the story almost immediately. Walker later scrolled through text messages from family and friends, many of them screenshots of the same fan. "That was crazy," Walker said. "I’ve never seen something like that before."

Then there was Patrick Mahomes, whose eyes and mouth widened when he was shown the image for the first time. "That’s hilarious," Mahomes said. "He’s a game changer."

How Kenneth Walker III Became a Chiefs "Stud" and a Defensive Nightmare

Walker has been the story of the Chiefs’ early season, and not just as a running back. In five games, he produced a league-leading 665 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns, while showing the kind of explosive ability that made him a Super Bowl MVP the season before.

His former team, the Seattle Seahawks, let Walker leave in free agency after a 2025 season in which he split carries with Zach Charbonnet and missed time because of injuries. The decision was framed around cost, durability, and a timeshare. But with Walker now leading the NFL in a new offensive system, the questions around Seattle’s backfield have only grown louder.

"He’s a stud," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Sunday of Walker.

A Back Who Became a Featured Playmaker

Over his first three seasons, Walker totaled 3,251 scrimmage yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging roughly 17 touches per game. In 2025, that workload dropped to about 15 touches, and Charbonnet often took the goal-line work.

But in Kansas City, Walker has been used differently. The Chiefs wanted an explosive back who could punish defenses, and Walker has delivered. He has gained 665 rushing yards, scored eight touchdowns, and posted 152 scrimmage yards per game, according to the source report, while leading the league in missed tackles forced and showing big-play ability against stacked boxes.

Receiver Xavier Worthy said defenders have reacted to Walker with disbelief. "Bro, he’s different," Worthy said. "All they say is, ‘He’s different.’"

Why the Seahawks Let Kenneth Walker III Walk

The Seahawks faced a complicated decision when Walker became available in March. They had moved on from the idea of paying him top dollar, reportedly being willing to go no higher than about $10 million per season. They instead added Emanuel Wilson and used a 32nd pick on Jadarian Price, while hoping Zach Charbonnet would return from an ACL injury.

At the time, Walker agreed to a three-year, $43.05 million deal with Kansas City, including $28.7 million fully guaranteed. Its average value ranked fourth among running backs and has since fallen to ninth.

The Seahawks did not want to pay that kind of money for a back they preferred to use in a timeshare. Walker, however, wanted to be featured. Over his first three seasons, he rarely got the role he wanted in Seattle, and the Seahawks had reservations about his availability dating to his rookie season.

The Injury History and the Timeshare

Walker missed games in his first three seasons because of a hernia, separate ankle injuries, separate oblique injuries, and a calf injury. He also missed chunks of spring and summer 2025 with soreness in a foot and ankle. In 2025, he played all 20 games, missed no practices, and was a full participant in all but five snaps.

The Seahawks could have used a franchise tag to buy time, but the cost was prohibitive. Instead, they chose a committee approach. That decision now looks like a gamble that has shaped the 2026 season.

Stopping Kenneth Walker III in Seattle

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said he loves Walker and has no second thoughts about the emotional side of the relationship, but he acknowledged the challenge ahead.

"I’ll just say, I love Ken," Macdonald said. "I thoroughly enjoyed him being on our football team. We’ve had some great one-on-one conversations. I thought we had a great relationship. I respect the heck out of him. … But I think there’s mixed emotions in terms of, you’re happy for him, but also, we’re trying to figure out ways to stop this guy, too, because he’s playing at a really high level."

Safety Julian Love said the tape made him understand why Walker has taken off in Kansas City. "It’s crazy when you look at the tape and see, man, this guy is incredible," Love said. "We knew he was incredible. But that’s people above us."

What the Seahawks’ Run Game Looks Like Without Walker

Without Walker, the Seahawks have ranked 18th in rushing yards per game. Their top two options, rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet, have been sidelined with injuries. Price, who averaged 4.3 yards on 28 carries with zero touchdowns in his first three games, remains at least one game on injured reserve. Charbonnet could return as early as Sunday.

Veteran Emanuel Wilson has been effective in spurts, averaging 3.5 yards per carry, while George Holani has averaged 3.1. The lack of explosive runs has been obvious. Seattle has been in the backfield on 22% of its rushing attempts, fifth-highest in the NFL, a figure that points to blocking issues as much as anything.

The Bottom Line: Painful Exit, Historic Return

The final judgment on Seattle’s decision to let Walker walk should wait until Price and Charbonnet prove they can lead an effective run game. It should also wait until Walker proves he can carry a full load in Kansas City.

He was briefly sidelined during camp with ankle swelling, which coach Andy Reid said was due to a shoe issue. But Walker has not appeared on an injury report during his historic start. "We appreciate the heck out of him," Macdonald said. "Guy’s a Super Bowl MVP, helped us win the championship. These things happen. We have to move forward now, but I’ve got nothing but great memories of Ken."

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