Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III named MVP of Super Bowl LX
Kenneth Walker III’s Super Bowl LX MVP moment was more than a coronation. It was the final chapter in a journey that once appeared destined to end before it truly began.
In the summer of 2018, Walker, then a high school senior in Arlington, Tennessee, woke up struggling to breathe. What followed was a frightening hospital visit and a diagnosis that threatened his life and his future in football: blood clots in both lungs. Doctors warned him that returning to the sport might not be possible.
On Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, Walker stood on the NFL’s biggest stage as the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl LX, having powered the Seattle Seahawks to a commanding 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots.
“When a doctor told me I couldn’t play anymore, I really thought football was over,” Walker said afterward. “Going through that made me grateful for every single day I get to put on pads and play this game.”
A historic Super Bowl performance
Walker delivered a performance that will live comfortably among the greatest rushing displays in Super Bowl history. The Seahawks’ running back carried the ball 27 times for 135 yards, adding 26 receiving yards on two catches as Seattle controlled the game from start to finish.
His 135 rushing yards matched the most ever recorded in a Super Bowl since Denver Broncos legend Terrell Davis achieved the same feat in Super Bowl XXXII. Walker also became the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP since Davis, ending a drought that stretched back more than two decades.
From the opening quarter, Walker set the tone. With both offenses struggling to find rhythm early, he became the game’s lone consistent source of production. A pair of explosive runs of 29 and 30 yards on a single drive flipped field position and led to Seattle’s second field goal, placing him in rare Super Bowl company as one of only three players to record multiple 25-plus yard rushes in the championship game.
By halftime, Walker had already piled up 94 rushing yards on 14 carries. Only Washington’s Timmy Smith, who erupted for 131 first-half yards in Super Bowl XXII, has ever produced more in a Super Bowl opening half.
Quiet leader, loud impact
Nicknamed “Thunder Shoes” during his high school days, Walker has never been one for headlines or self-promotion. Inside the Seahawks locker room, teammates describe him as soft-spoken, focused, and relentless in preparation.
“It’s surreal,” Seahawks guard Grey Zabel said. “K9 is one of one. There’s nobody I’d rather block for.”
Seattle’s 2025 season featured a productive backfield rotation between Walker and Zach Charbonnet, with both backs sharing the workload behind an improving offensive line. That balance ended abruptly in the divisional round, when Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL against the San Francisco 49ers.
From that moment, the Seahawks’ postseason identity shifted squarely onto Walker’s shoulders. He responded with authority.
Across three playoff games, Walker rushed for 313 yards, finishing just five yards short of Marshawn Lynch’s franchise postseason record. He became the first player in Seahawks history to record three consecutive playoff games with at least 100 scrimmage yards and led all players in postseason rushing.
His 417 total scrimmage yards and four touchdowns during the playoffs ranked at or near the top league-wide, underlining his value at a time when the importance of the running back position is frequently debated.
Playing for more than himself
Walker found added motivation throughout the postseason in honoring Charbonnet. During Super Bowl LX, he wrote Charbonnet’s No. 26 on his wrist and planned to point it out after a long fourth-quarter touchdown run that was ultimately wiped out by a holding penalty.
Charbonnet, watching from the sideline, was unsurprised when Walker claimed the game’s top individual honour despite entering the night with long odds to win MVP.
“He’s been doing it all year,” Charbonnet said. “He’s the best there is.”
A defining moment before free agency
The timing of Walker’s Super Bowl heroics could not be more significant. The 24-year-old is set to enter unrestricted free agency in March after completing the final season of his rookie contract, during which he carried a modest salary cap figure just under $2.7 million.
Only three Super Bowl MVPs in NFL history have changed teams immediately after winning the award, a rarity that highlights the stakes surrounding Walker’s future.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider acknowledged that Walker’s performance likely reshaped upcoming negotiations. “I’m happy for him,” Schneider said. “You want guys to take care of their families and maximize their earning power. We’d love to have Ken back, but we’ll see how things look as we move toward the combine and free agency.”
Redefining the running back narrative
Throughout Super Bowl week, Walker largely avoided the spotlight, content to let teammates handle the media attention. Yet when given the microphone after lifting the Lombardi Trophy, he delivered a message that extended beyond his own career.
“I hope it shows people that running backs still matter,” Walker said. “Running backs make a huge impact on this league. I just hope we get that same appreciation back.”
From a life-threatening health scare to a Super Bowl MVP performance for the ages, Kenneth Walker III’s journey stands as both a personal triumph and a reminder of the enduring power of the running back on football’s biggest stage.
SportsLigue