The Kansas City Chiefs have a new weapon in Kenneth Walker III, and Patrick Mahomes thinks he'll be a difference maker.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is optimistic about his team’s prospects this season, but that’s also his nature. Mahomes was constantly looking for reasons for hope last year even as the Chiefs season was slipping away, and this year he’s pointing to a new addition as a reason the Chiefs will rebound in a big way.
Jesse Newell of the The Athletic explored this a little with Mahomes, and he asked what intrigued the quarterback the most about this year’s offense, which is expected to be more versatile with Mahomes taking a larger number of snaps under center.
“No. 9,” Mahomes said, referencing the number of the Chiefs’ new free agent running back Kenneth Walker III. Walker’s new nickname is “K9,” and the Cheifs are expected to use him as a receiver and a pass catcher, which the Seattle Seahawks didn’t do because they were considered weakesses.
“Make a play out of nothing to a 20-yard gain,” Mahomes said. “That’s going to be the biggest impact I think we’ll have.”
Tight end Travis Kelce agrees with Mahomes, and they’ve both talked about the high level of character and integrity Walker brings to the mix.
“Ken Walker is going to be a hell of a ballplayer for us, if you didn’t know that already,” Kelce said. “He’s got every trait you can possibly want at the running back position.”
Walker just signed a big deal, and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy likes what he sees as well.
“He’s a hard worker, does not take anything for granted. He’s what you want,” offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said of Walker in June. “You love his approach in the building. He’s very professional in the classroom, and he hates being wrong.”
Walker is also helping rookie running back Emmett Johnson learn the ropes, and Johnson appreciates both the help and the work ethic as he mentioned the running back caring about the entire group.
“He’s very unselfish, and that’s what I love about him,” Johnson said. “We push each other on the football field, but he’s an unselfish player, and he obviously has a lot of experience. So I’m gonna do my job of picking his brain, too.”
Walker is only 25, but he’s talked about the benefits of “bringing guys with me” when the teaching part gets discussed. He mentioned clean eating as an example of a change he’s made in the last couple of years to help improve his game.
“I want them to learn quicker than I learned,” Walker said, “and I don’t want it to be a drop-off at all.”
The bottom line will happen on the field, though, and that’s where the comments get even more impressive.
“Explosive for sure,” said running back Emari Demercado.
“Sometimes you’ll be like, ‘I don’t know how he did that,'” right tackle Jaylon Moore said, “but it’s awesome to see.”
