EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMoments after Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III ripped off a 33-yard touchdown run Sunday inside Arrowhead Stadium, the CBS broadcast showed a sign of the rough times in the Seattle Seahawks' backfield. It was an actual sign, too, held by a fan wearing a royal blue Seahawks jersey amid a sea of Chiefs red.The sign read: "COME BACK HOME K9!! PLZ!!!"After the 22-6 Chiefs win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Walker sat inside the locker room and scrolled through several text messages on his phone. Many of those messages, from family and friends, included a screenshot of that same Seahawks fan and his sign."That was crazy," Walker said of the fan's sign. "I've never seen something like that before."Minutes later, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had an even bigger reaction, his eyes and mouth widening when he was shown the image for the first time."That's hilarious," Mahomes said. "He's a game changer."In five games, Walker has been just that for the Chiefs, demonstrating how much of a dynamic playmaker he can be performing alongside Mahomes. The Chiefs' leading rushing last season was former running back Kareem Hunt, who had 611 rushing yards in 17 games. Walker has already surpassed that mark, producing a league-leading 665 rushing yards, 152 scrimmage yards per game and eight total touchdowns. He joined Hall of Famer Jim Brown in becoming just the NFL second player to record at least 600 rushing yards, at least six rushing scores and have multiple receiving touchdowns through the first five games.This week, Walker will return to Seattle, just not in the manner that the Seahawks fan at Arrowhead -- and many like him around the country -- dreamed. Instead, the early-season betting favorite for AP Offensive Player of the Year will lead the 5-0 Chiefs into Lumen Field for a Sunday primetime game against his former team.The matchup invites a closer look at why the Seahawks let Walker leave in free agency one month after he was named MVP of their Super Bowl LX victory -- a decision that has been second-guessed amid their 3-3 start -- and how the fifth-year veteran has taken his game to another level in Chiefs coach Andy Reid's offense."He's a stud," Reid said Sunday of Walker.Walker's historic start has led to many analysts suggesting he was the best veteran acquisition in the league this offseason after joining the Chiefs on a three-year, $43.05 million deal in March, including $28.7 million fully guaranteed.Meanwhile, without Walker, the Seahawks rank 18th in rushing yards per game, having struggled to find consistent production with their top two options -- rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet -- sidelined with injuries. It's one of several issues that have held their offense back under first-year coordinator Brian Fleury.Stopping Walker on Sunday night will be a challenge. And seeing him in a Chiefs uniform, having put together a historic start to the season in Kansas City, might be difficult for the Seahawks and their fans."I'll just say, I love Ken," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday when asked if he has any second thoughts about Seattle letting Walker leave. "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."'We have to move forward now': Why didn't the Seahawks re-sign Walker?As the Seahawks prepare to see Walker, are his former teammates wondering why he's no longer in Seattle?"It's crazy when you look at the tape and see, man, this guy is incredible," safety Julian Love said Wednesday when asked. "We knew he was incredible. But that's people above us."Walker's game-breaking talent was never a question with the Seahawks, who made him the second running back drafted in 2022 when they chose him 41st. But the team's decision-makers had reservations about his availability dating to his rookie season, according to sources familiar with the team's thinking.That helped explain why general manager John Schneider spent another second-round pick on Charbonnet in 2023, and why he didn't attempt to lock up Walker with an extension after 2024, by which point the running back had missed 10 games over his first three seasons. It also helped explain why the Seahawks had Walker split snaps with Charbonnet in 2025, and why -- according to multiple sources familiar with the team's plans -- they were only willing to go as high as roughly $10 million per season to re-sign him in March.At the time Walker agreed to his deal with Kansas City, its $14.35 million average ranked fourth among running backs (it has since fallen to ninth). The Seahawks did not want to pay that kind of money to a back who they would have preferred to again use in a timeshare.Even if the Seahawks were willing to match Kansas City's contract, the Chiefs were offering something Seattle hadn't -- a chance to be featured.Over his first three seasons, Walker totaled 3,251 scrimmage yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging roughly 17 touches per game. During the 2025 regular season, that dropped to roughly 15 touches compared to 13 for Charbonnet, who averaged two more snaps per game than Walker -- 31 to 29.Walker set career highs with 1,309 scrimmage yards and 4.6 yards per carry in 2025. He scored five touchdowns while regularly ceding opportunities to Charbonnet at the goal line. When Charbonnet tore an ACL in the divisional round, Walker delivered. In three playoff games, he totaled 417 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns, averaging roughly 25 touches and 41 snaps. His 161-yard performance in the Super Bowl LX win over the New England Patriots earned him MVP honors.It was the culmination of Walker's first healthy season in the NFL.Over his first three seasons, he missed games due to 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. Then he played in all 20 games, did not miss a single practice during the season and was a full participant in all but five. He appeared on the injury report in only three out of 21 weeks the team released one.Was that a sign that, with offseason changes to his diet and sleeping habits, Walker was now durable enough to carry a full load? The Seahawks could have bought a year to help determine the answer via the franchise tag, but the $14.3 million cost was clearly prohibitive in their eyes.Instead, they added veteran Emanuel Wilson on a one-year, $1.6 million deal and spent the 32nd pick on Price with a plan to use those two as well as George Holani until Charbonnet returned. Charbonnet could return as early as Sunday, while Price (chest) has to spend at least one more game on injured reserve.Before landing on IR, Price averaged 4.3 yards on 28 carries with zero touchdowns over the first three games. Wilson (3.5 yards per carry) has been effective in spurts, but neither he nor Holani (3.1 YPC) have much explosiveness, something Seattle's backfield has missed with Walker gone. Then again, the Seahawks have been contacted in the backfield on 22% of their rushing attempts this season -- the fifth-highest rate in the NFL, per ESPN Research -- which is indicative of blocking struggles that most running backs would find difficult to overcome.A final judgement on the Seahawks' decision to let Walker leave should not be rendered until Price and Charbonnet have a chance to show whether they can lead an effective run game. Time will also tell whether Walker can hold up physically in a featured role.He was briefly sidelined during camp with ankle swelling, which Reid said was due to a shoe issue. But Walker has yet to appear 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."'Bro, he's different': How Walker has taken off in Kansas CityWhen last offseason began, the Chiefs believed improving their rushing attack was one of the top priorities. The team's top running backs last season, Isiah Pacheco and Hunt, weren't able to generate chunk gains. The pair ranked last in the league last year in combining for only one rushing attempt that gained more than 20 yards. The Chiefs were attracted to Walker because he could produce explosive runs, ranking fourth last season in percentage of runs that gained 10 or more yards.Mahomes was impressed when he watched the Seahawks' postseason run. He sent a text message to general manager Brett Veach whenever Walker made a big play for the Seahawks on their run to the title."Did you see that play?"During his introductory news conference in March, Walker said he joined the Chiefs, in addition to his contract, for three other reasons: playing alongside Mahomes, the franchise's success over the past decade and the opportunity to be a featured playmaker in their offense. Walker said he also wanted to learn from a trio of coaches: Reid, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and running backs coach DeMarco Murray."I think I can get a lot better," Walker said then. "I just want to be a better player."Throughout his coaching career, Reid has had success with a number of running backs, such as Jamaal Charles, Hunt, Damien Williams, Brian Westbrook and Duce Staley. Walker also knew that Bieniemy and Murray, both former NFL running backs, were exceptional at coaching the position.Since the Chiefs began training camp in July, Walker has been a more detailed ball carrier than he was in Seattle, Reid said Monday. He has demonstrated quality patience in front of the offensive line -- not always looking for the home run highlight -- and being decisive in when to change directions.The Chiefs also challenged Walker to be a more complete back -- one capable of being an asset on all three downs."One of [the] things I talked to him about is 'what can you do when the ball is not in your hands?' Bieniemy said Thursday. "In this offense, this is how we measure success: If you do a great job picking up the blitz, [if] you can be that professional in the classroom and your work ethic in the training room and strength and conditioning room is going to tell me a lot about who you are as a person. He's done a great job."Another feature of Walker's play has been his elusiveness. Walker has showcased a blend of quickness, strength and agility to make defenders miss tackles at a league-high rate (52), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Even against stacked boxes, defined as eight or more defenders, Walker leads the league in yards (183) and TDs (six) on those rushing attempts."Bro, I be watching it live and [defenders] are telling me on the field, like, 'Bro, he's different,'" receiver Xavier Worthy said of defenders' reaction to Walker. "I [don't] have to tackle him. All they say is, 'He's different.' That's it."During his Super Bowl run with the Seahawks last season, Walker used his speed and vision to create explosive and highlight-worthy plays. No longer having to split carries with Charbonnet, Walker has already generated seven plays with the Chiefs in which he gained at least 20 rushing yards or more, tied with Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson for the most in the league, despite playing one fewer game than Robinson."He knows how to set up runs," Reid said. "There's an art to that and a patience that you've got to have. He's got all of that -- and he's tough. He doesn't say a whole lot, but he's a tough kid."After Sunday's game against the Chargers, Walker didn't acknowledge the Seahawks when asked about the upcoming matchup."Right now, I'm just focused on [how] we've got to go critique the mistakes that we made," Walker said Sunday. "Then, once we get to that point, we'll see."The Chiefs will likely need another brilliant performance from Walker to beat the Seahawks. The Chiefs could be without wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is recovering from a strained right hamstring, and right tackle Jaylon Moore, who is in the league's concussion protocol. Mahomes and several other veterans have shared their desire to see Walker perform well -- in a win -- on Sunday, too.Although Walker had never exceeded 228 carries in a single season in Seattle, he is on pace to have 408 touches and more than 2,000 rushing yards, potentially giving him a similar impact to what Saquon Barkley did for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, when he led Philly to a Super Bowl title over the Chiefs in in his first year after joining the team.The Chiefs, of course, continue to be eager to see how much Walker, alongside Mahomes, can propel the offense."He's one of the best running backs I've ever played with," right guard Trey Smith said of Walker. "I like watching him score and watching him do what he does best. He's a prolific player."
