Kenneth Walker III didn’t just leave Seattle this offseason - he left behind a running back problem the Seahawks haven’t come close to solving.
After a postseason run that put him right in the middle of the championship push, Seattle let Walker go instead of re-signing him. He then agreed to a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs that can be worth as much as $45 million.
Walker backed up that value in a big way last postseason, piling up 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns across three games. His biggest moment came in the Super Bowl, where he earned MVP honors after putting up 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards against the New England Patriots.
Seattle went a different direction, bringing in rookie Jadarian Price and veteran Emanuel Wilson to fill the backfield. Through six weeks, that move has looked ugly.
The Seahawks’ running back room has produced 539 rushing yards in six games. Walker has nearly matched that by himself, going for 537 rushing yards in just four games with Kansas City.
That gap has not gone unnoticed. “Why did the Seahawks not pay Kenneth Walker?
They have no run game. Absolutely zero,” former NFL defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko said.
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert also weighed in on X, writing, “The Seahawks could’ve really used Kenneth Walker tonight,” while another fan said, “The Chiefs continue to thank Seattle for letting Kenneth Walker walk away for $14-15 million a year,” and added, “Seahawks offense could really use a bell cow back like him considering how inconsistent their offense is.” One more fan piled on, saying, “John Schneider disrespected this guy on television then went on to sign a bunch of back up RBs that fumble every game instead of just paying him,”
The two teams will meet on Oct. 25 on “Sunday Night Football,” and Walker will be a major focal point when that game arrives. He has not spoken negatively about his time in Seattle, but the matchup carries plenty of fuel anyway. Before then, Walker turns his attention to a Week 6 meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers.
In Other News...
Chiefs Kingdom Is Bigger Than Most Fans Probably Realize
A look at Rally Houses sales data shows just how far the Chiefs reach has spread well beyond Kansas and Missouri. The retailer, which operates more than 300 stores across 29 states, said Kansas City has been its top-selling team in a wide swath of the country since 2009, a sign that the franchises appeal has become national rather than regional.
What makes the trend stand out even more is the footprint of those markets. Some of the states where Chiefs gear has moved best already have their own professional teams, which only underscores how much Kansas Citys recent success and increased media visibility have helped build a bigger fan base. For a team long tied to the Midwest, that kind of growth says as much about the brand as it does about what is happening on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Taylor Swifts Chiefs Streak May End During A Huge Home Game
Taylor Swifts run of Chiefs home appearances appears headed for a pause just as Kansas City gets ready for another significant AFC West game. Swift has been a fixture at 14 straight home games, often drawing as much attention as the action on the field, but this weekends matchup with the Chargers comes with a very different backdrop and a packed calendar on her end.
The timing points away from Arrowhead and toward Los Angeles, where Swift is scheduled to be part of the Academy Museum Gala the night before the game. The weekend is being framed around her career ambitions rather than a trip to support Travis Kelce in person, leaving open the possibility that one of the most visible off-field streaks tied to the Chiefs may finally come to an end. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Trade Idea Targets A Quiet Need Before The Deadline
Kansas City has rolled out to a 4-0 start, and the offense has done enough to keep the Chiefs looking every bit like a contender. Even so, the recent move of Tyquan Thornton to injured reserve has only sharpened the focus on a quieter need in the passing game, one that shows up in the middle of the field rather than on the highlight reels.
That is where a player like Darnell Mooney starts to make sense. He has the kind of production in the intermediate area that Kansas City can use right now, and with Rashee Rice injured, the Chiefs are light on answers there. Mooney is under contract for the rest of the year, which makes him a plausible deadline target if Kansas City wants to add help without paying a steep price. [Read more 🡒]