Much was made about the “Super Bowl MVP” signing with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. While it doesn’t happen terribly often in the same season, it’s not quite the blockbuster the media made it sound like at times. Still, Kenneth Walker III declined to stay with the championship Seattle Seahawks for his first free agent contract.
Or maybe, he didn’t have all that much say in it after all?
In a recent interview with Pro Football Talk, Walker indicated he felt his time with the Seahawks was coming
to a close.
Before the playoffs even began.
“I would say probably, if I’m being honest, probably like sometime during the season,” Walker said. “You know, things ain’t working out how I was expecting to, and that’s all right. It worked out for the team. So sometime during the season and then we get to free agency, pretty much knowing like you weren’t gonna be there no more.”
That “sometime” could have been after Week 6, when he’d been given just 10 carries for consecutive games. Or after Week 15, when he’d tallied 11, 13, 10, and 9 carries over four straight games.
But my money is that the first sign came in August.
As late as August 21, Walker was still struggling to find the practice field after being sidelined for most of training camp. For those that remember, these were the days when Mike Macdonald and Klint Kubiak were praising Zach Charbonnet without prompting.
Those quotes would come after being asked about K9’s progress.
I believe that was the start. Macdonald’s favorite qualities are tied to competitiveness and nastiness, and the 2025 Walker didn’t practice much in training camp did not break tackles much during the season. Not hard to get the sense that Walker was right – the decision was being made midseason, as it had been for Riq Woolen as well.
For one last little tidbit, Walker threw in the age-old “appreciated” parting shot.
The team appreciates me over here and, like, being able to come somewhere there where you’re appreciated.
He does plan to return this summer for the Super Bowl ring ceremony, and I don’t come out of this interaction with much distaste for Kenneth Walker, but clearly the team began forming their opinion much earlier than March, and stuck to the plan.
Jadarian Price and Charbonnet, it’s your turn.
