Kenneth Walker III has become a pivotal force for the Seattle Seahawks, and his performance during the postseason was nothing short of spectacular. At just 25, Walker's standout moment came when he clinched the Super Bowl LX MVP honors, rushing for 135 yards.
This achievement marked the highest rushing yardage in a Super Bowl since Terrell Davis' legendary performance 28 years ago. It was Walker's best game of the season, showcasing his ability to rise to the occasion.
What makes Walker's feat even more remarkable is that he carried the team's rushing load after fellow back Zach Charbonnet suffered an ACL tear in the Divisional Round. Despite the setback, Walker's resilience and skill shone through.
Former Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who knows the value of a strong running game from his time with MVP Shaun Alexander, emphasized the importance of re-signing Walker, who is entering free agency. Hasselbeck praised the Seahawks' strategic approach to managing Walker's workload throughout the season.
“He's going to be a free agent, but I think John Schneider and Mike Macdonald did a great job this year of sticking to their plan and their process of load management with him,” Hasselbeck noted. “He shared the load for a good part of the year with Zach Charbonnet.
Fantasy owners were freaking out. Twitter was going nuts - what are we doing?
But that's the whole thing. You gotta trust these coaches to know what their plan is.
Their plan was for Kenneth Walker to be at his best - not in November or December, but in February in Santa Clara."
The Seahawks boasted one of the league's top running back duos, with Walker amassing 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, while Charbonnet led with 12 touchdowns and 730 yards. This dynamic duo propelled the Seahawks to the third-ranked offense in the NFL.
Hasselbeck acknowledged the setback of Charbonnet's injury but highlighted Walker's peak performance late in the season. “Kenneth Walker looked his best at the end of the year when a running back shouldn't be feeling his best.
But they stuck to the plan with load management and training camp load management in-game and throughout the season. That one-two punch I do believe is important.
You got to stick to your guns and have the conviction and the results is kind of just stick to your process and stick to your plan."
Hasselbeck commended the Seahawks' commitment to their strategy. “A lot of organizations, they're wishy-washy, and they get swayed by public opinion and talk radio and all that kind of junk,” he said.
“The Seahawks, they're confident in their ability. They love their plan.
And I think it's a huge reason that K-9 plays so well late in the year. They had a plan for him, and it worked.”
The Seahawks' ability to stay true to their vision has paid dividends, and Walker's performance is a testament to their strategic foresight. As they look to secure his future with the team, the Seahawks are poised to continue their offensive prowess.