Kenneth Walker III Caps Breakout Season with Super Bowl MVP Performance
Kenneth Walker III has always had a knack for making a statement. Back in 2021, he bulldozed his way through Big Ten defenses at Michigan State, racking up highlight reels and hardware-but somehow, not a Heisman invite. Fast forward to Super Bowl 60, and Walker just made the kind of statement no one can ignore: 135 rushing yards, a Super Bowl ring, and the MVP trophy to go with it.
The Seattle Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the New England Patriots was a team effort, no doubt. But make no mistake-this was Walker’s night. The former Spartan carved up the Patriots defense from the jump, becoming the engine of an offense that controlled the tempo, the scoreboard, and eventually, the game.
A Historic First for Michigan State
Walker’s MVP nod puts him in rare company. He’s the first Michigan State letterman to ever win Super Bowl MVP honors.
That’s not just a feather in his cap-it’s a milestone for a program with a rich football history. He’s also the first MVP honoree for Wake Forest, where he spent the first two years of his college career before transferring to East Lansing.
And while Nick Foles once wore green and white briefly before transferring to Arizona, he didn’t letter at Michigan State. So Walker stands alone in Spartan lore-not just as one of 31 Michigan State players to win a Super Bowl, but as the first running back to do it, and the only one to walk away with MVP honors.
From Heisman Snub to NFL Star
Back in 2021, Walker was the heart of a Michigan State team that surprised a lot of people. He rushed for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns that season, including a legendary five-touchdown performance in a rivalry win over Michigan.
He took home the Walter Camp Player of the Year award, but somehow finished sixth in Heisman voting. Alabama’s Bryce Young won it, with Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson-now a star with the Lions-finishing second.
The Seahawks saw something others didn’t-or at least valued it differently. They grabbed Walker in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 41st overall pick.
Since then, he’s been nothing short of reliable and explosive, rushing for 3,555 yards and 29 touchdowns over four seasons. And here’s a stat that tells you everything about his ball security: just two fumbles, neither of them lost.
Super Bowl 60: Walker Takes Center Stage
From the first snap, it was clear Walker came to play. He racked up 94 yards on 14 carries in the first half alone, including back-to-back chunk plays of 30 and 29 yards that helped set up a Seahawks field goal.
According to ESPN, only two other players-Timmy Smith and Marcus Allen-have had multiple 25+ yard runs in a Super Bowl. That’s elite company.
Seattle led 9-0 at halftime, and Walker was the driving force. In the second half, he kept the momentum going, adding 41 more yards on the ground.
A pair of fourth-quarter runs-one for 14 yards, another for 10-helped set up another field goal to push the lead to 22-7. He even had a touchdown wiped off the board late in the game due to a holding penalty on offensive lineman Jalen Sundell.
It didn’t matter. The damage had been done.
Rare Air: A Running Back MVP
Walker’s MVP win marks the first time a running back has taken home the award since Terrell Davis in 1998. That year, Davis ran for 157 yards in Denver’s Super Bowl XXXII win over Green Bay. Walker didn’t quite hit that number, but his impact was undeniable.
For context, the Super Bowl rushing record still belongs to Timmy Smith, who ran for 204 yards in Super Bowl XXII. But Walker’s performance-complete with explosive plays, clock-chewing drives, and relentless energy-was every bit as memorable.
Big Ten Joins the MVP Club Again
With Walker’s win, Michigan State becomes the eighth Big Ten school to produce a Super Bowl MVP. They join a list that includes Michigan (six MVPs, led by Tom Brady and Desmond Howard), Purdue (Len Dawson, Drew Brees), Penn State (Franco Harris), Ohio State (Santonio Holmes), UCLA (Troy Aikman), Maryland (Randy White), and Southern Cal (Lynn Swann, Marcus Allen, Malcolm Smith).
It’s a select group, and Walker’s name now sits among legends.
Kenneth Walker III’s journey from Heisman snub to Super Bowl MVP isn’t just a feel-good story-it’s a testament to perseverance, talent, and timing. He didn’t need a trip to New York to validate his college greatness.
He just needed the right stage. And under the brightest lights in football, he delivered a performance that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.