The Chiefs have plenty riding on Kenneth Walker III, and if Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are any indication, the new running back has already made a strong impression in Kansas City.
Walker arrived in the 2026 offseason as one of the team’s biggest additions, joining a group that also included drafted defensive back Mansoor Delane. After a 6-11 season, the Chiefs are trying to claw their way back into the playoffs, and Walker looks like a major piece of that push.
What stands out most about Walker, at least from Mahomes’ perspective, is his knack for turning broken plays into chunk gains.
“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.”
Kelce was just as direct in his praise, describing Walker as the kind of back who can handle everything asked of the position.
“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’s production backs up the hype. In the 2025 season, he carried the ball 221 times for 1,027 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Mahomes also pointed to Walker’s approach in training camp, saying the running back has already shown he’s the kind of teammate who fits right in.
“You can tell he truly cares about football; he cares about his teammates,” Mahomes said. “If he’s not in the play, he’s helping the guys on the sideline, and he’s trying to learn and ask me questions.”
Kansas City believes Walker can bring more danger to the ground game than it has had in a long time, and the Chiefs will get their first real look at that impact when the regular season arrives this fall.
In Other News...
Chiefs Fans Facing Dangerous Arrowhead Heat For Saturday's Preseason Game
Saturdays preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium is shaping up to be a test of endurance before it is a test of football. With high temperatures and an even more punishing heat index expected, first responders are urging fans to treat the trip to the stadium like a serious heat safety event, not just another summer kickoff. The reminders are familiar but important: start hydrating early, keep water and electrolytes coming, and take advantage of any shade or cooling options available once inside.
For fans making the trek, the advice also includes easing up on alcohol and caffeine, both of which can make it harder to stay ahead of the heat. Stadium cooling stations are part of the plan, but the larger message is simple enough for a late-summer afternoon in Kansas City: prepare before you arrive, keep an eye on how you feel, and do not wait until you are already overheated to look for relief. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Could Find Tight End Help In One Overlooked Rams Battle
The Chiefs have spent enough time around training camp to know how quickly a tight end room can go from crowded to precarious, and the Rams are carrying one of those situations into the preseason. Los Angeles has a deep group at the position, with veterans and recent draft picks all pressing for roles, which means there are players on the bubble who may not get much room to breathe before roster decisions arrive.
One of them is Davis Allen, a fifth-round pick who has flashed as a blocker but has had limited chances to make his mark as a receiver because of the competition in front of him. Kansas City has reason to keep an eye on that matchup, especially as it looks for more help in tight end blocking, and the preseason meeting with the Rams offers a useful chance to see whether Allen fits that need if he becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Ex Chiefs Safety Opens Up After Suspension And Painful Family Setback
Nazeeh Johnsons move away from Kansas City has already come with an unexpected hurdle, as the former Chiefs safety and cornerback, now with the Titans, was handed a six-game suspension by the NFL for violating the leagues PED policy. Johnson said the positive test stemmed from fertility medication he was taking while he and his wife were trying to conceive, and he said he was unaware the treatment contained a banned substance. It is the latest twist for a player who had carved out a role in Kansas City before seeking a fresh start elsewhere.
Johnson and his wife have also been open about the fertility challenges they have faced, adding a deeply personal layer to a situation that is usually discussed only through league discipline and roster fallout. The suspension has made an already difficult period even heavier, with the couples recent loss leaving the football side of the story secondary to everything happening off the field. For the Chiefs, it is a reminder that one of their former defensive backs is navigating far more than a standard NFL setback. [Read more 🡒]