It became clear after the Seattle Seahawks chose not to use the franchise tag to retain the rights to running back and Super Bowl LX Most Valuable Player Kenneth Walker III that Walker would likely go elsewhere.
Previous stories had linked Walker with the Kansas City Chiefs. Not long after the “legal tampering” portion of free agency opened on Monday afternoon, it was learned that the Chiefs got their man.
Kenneth Walker III leaving Super Bowl champions for Chiefs
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and others, Walker plans to sign with the Chiefs. Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Walker will ultimately receive a three-year, $43.05M contract that could be worth up to $45M with $28.7M guaranteed.
Monday could prove to be a massive day for the Chiefs, as it was also reported that future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce is “expected” to return to the club for another season. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Kelce and the Chiefs had not yet put pen to paper on a one-year deal worth up to $15M as of early Monday afternoon.
What Chiefs are getting in new offensive weapon
ESPN stats show that Walker led the Seahawks with 221 carries and 1,027 rushing yards for the 2025 regular season. Over 17 games, he tallied five rushing touchdowns, and he also contributed 31 receptions for 282 yards.
Most recently, Walker rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries and caught two passes for 26 yards en route to earning Super Bowl LX MVP honors. The 25-year-old will now be tasked with making life easier for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes whenever Mahomes is cleared to return from the surgery he needed in the middle of December to repair a torn ACL and torn LCL.
Mahomes is reportedly attempting to be in the lineup for the Chiefs’ regular-season opener in September, but it’s unknown how realistic a goal that is for the three-time Super Bowl champion.
Mahomes made it known via X (formerly known as Twitter) that he is pumped to welcome Walker to Kansas City. As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Chiefs tied for fifth with two other clubs among the betting favorites at +1400 odds to win Super Bowl LXI next February.