The Kansas City Chiefs have been longing for an explosive, game-wrecking running back to revitalize the run game and have found that guy in Kenneth Walker III.
The Kansas City Chiefs found the explosive dual-threat running back it was looking for, and it’s the reigning Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.
The Chiefs have agreed to terms on a three-year, $43 million deal with former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, a deal that could be worth up to $45 million with $28.7 million guaranteed.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to break the news and with how much smoke there was surrounding the Chiefs and Walker, it turned out to be a blazing fire. Kansas City needed to reenergize the running back room after free agents Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combined to generate just one explosive run over 20 yards.
“The Chiefs have been searching for some juice at the RB position for some time,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on X. “It appears they found it. Good day for KC.”
The deal pays Walker $14.35 million per season, making him one of the highest-paid running backs in the National Football League.
Walker was outstanding for the Seahawks in 2025, playing in all 17 regular season games while rushing for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries. He also caught 31 receptions for 282 yards, establishing himself as a trusted target in the backfield.
In the playoffs, mostly without counterpart Zach Charbonnet, the 25-year-old rushed 65 times for 313 yards and four touchdowns while adding nine receptions for 104 yards. His brilliant efforts in the Super Bowl, 27 carries for 135 yards, allowed him to run away with the Super Bowl MVP.
Many mock drafts this offseason had the Chiefs selecting standout Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick in the draft, but the Chiefs opted to solidify the position now rather than hoping another team like the New Orleans Saints wouldn’t pick Love before Kansas City.
Walker logged 10 carries for 20 or more yards last season, something the Chiefs’ run game desperately needs after its run game couldn’t get much going outside of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who ended up tearing multiple ligaments in his left knee amidst a season where he rushed for a career-high 422 yards in 15 games.
Adding Walker to a team that uncharacteristically finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 completely revitalizes the offense that got nothing going on the ground in 2025. Kansas City has parted ways with several longtime Chiefs but now brings in a young and dynamic running back poised to fix the team’s offensive problems.