When NFL free agency opened back in March, Kenneth Walker III was atop this year’s list of the best running backs hitting the open market.
Coming off an impressive 2025 campaign, Walker punctuated the year by winning Super Bowl MVP as the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots to take home the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
Walker ended up landing with the Kansas City Chiefs, signing a three-year deal worth up to $45 million to line up alongside Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
In an exclusive interview with Athlon Sports, Walker revealed just a how many teams were chasing his services in free agency, but also pointed out that one surprising team didn’t seem terribly interested.
“Yeah, it was a few teams, probably, like three or four,” Walker said. “I didn’t really hear much from the Seahawks, at least when I talked to my agent, I didn’t hear much. But yeah, it was a few teams, you know, that’s pretty much it.”
Kenneth Walker III helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory last season. (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Despite the fact that the Seahawks just rode one of the best performances of his career to a Super Bowl victory, Walker said he wasn’t surprised that the team that drafted him (41st overall in the second round back in 2022) out of Michigan State didn’t have much interest in keeping him beyond his rookie contract.
“No, it’s a business,” Walker said. “I kind of figured during the season how things were going that I wasn’t going to be there. You can feel the energy, bro. So I pretty much knew.”
Walker admits that life doesn’t always turn out like we expect, but he’s excited about the new opportunity he has in Kansas City, with a team that’s hungry to get back in the Super Bowl hunt after a disappointing 2025 season.
“Yep, you know how the business side works,” Walker said. “Everything doesn’t work out how you planned it after the Super Bowl. Agent did the talking about free agency and everything like that. But I feel like me and my pops talked it over, and we felt like the Chiefs were a great fit.”
The Seahawks knew that by not bringing back Walker, they’d have a massive hole to fill in their offensive backfield, which is why they spent their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. There will be high expectations for the rookie to deliver after Seattle opted to let Walker hit free agency after helping deliver a championship.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
