Spartan power unleashed! Kenneth Walker stunned the Patriots' stout defense, dominating the Super Bowl en route to MVP glory.
Michigan State alum Kenneth Walker becomes the 60th Super Bowl MVP and the 50th player in NFL history to win the award.
In a rematch of the Patriots and Seahawks, there was no single final play that decided the fate of over 100 men. No goal-line call to debate. No last-second interception that made the entire world gasp.
Instead, in one of the more lackluster Super Bowls in recent memory — at least for anyone who enjoys offense — fans were treated to a throwback, 1980s-style football game. Defense wins championships, but it certainly helps when you have one of, if not the, most electrifying running backs in the NFL.
That’s exactly what the Seattle Seahawks leaned on all night long.
The Patriots entered the game with one of the league’s best defenses, especially against the run. New England finished the season allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards to opposing running backs, leading many to believe Walker would be stifled by a stingy defensive front.
But as any Spartans fan — and maybe even Wolverine fans — would tell you, it doesn’t matter how many defenders you send at Kenneth Walker. Tackling him is far easier said than done.
Walker diced up the Patriots defense from the opening drive, finishing the night with 27 carries for 135 rushing yards, while adding two receptions for 26 yards. By the time the clock hit zero, Walker had run his way straight into Super Bowl MVP honors.
Walker becomes the second player to have played at Michigan State to win Super Bowl MVP, joining Nick Foles, who famously shocked the world by leading the Philadelphia Eagles past Tom Brady and the Patriots.
During the regular season, Walker was productive but shared the backfield with Zach Charbonnet, finishing with a modest 1,027 rushing yards. But Beast Mode 2.0 came alive when the lights were brightest.
Early in the Divisional Round against the 49ers, Charbonnet tore his ACL, ending his postseason. The Seahawks didn’t miss a beat. Neither did Walker.
Walker racked up 116 rushing yards and three touchdowns against San Francisco, then followed it up with 62 rushing yards, 49 receiving yards, and another score in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams. Those performances were merely the lead-in to what he saved for the Super Bowl.
His biggest gain of the night came on a perfectly patient run before bursting upfield and to the right side, gashing the Patriots defense for 30 yards. Walker never found the end zone, but that will quickly fade when he slips on a Super Bowl ring and reflects on an MVP performance.
The trophy may be awarded for just one game, but if there were a Playoffs MVP, Walker would have been the clear choice.
Much like his lone season in green and white at Michigan State, Walker put his team on his back and carried them as far as he could. While MSU never reached the national championship with him, Walker finally found the promised land in the NFL — accomplishing a feat only 49 others in history have achieved.
Winning Super Bowl MVP.
It’s a remarkable reward, and there may not be a more deserving individual. Go Green — from East Lansing all the way to Super Bowl MVP.