Kenneth Walker III powered Kansas City past Denver in his Chiefs debut, delivering 173 rushing yards, 191 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns as Patrick Mahomes returned from major knee surgery in a victory that snapped the club’s six-game losing streak.
Chiefs ride Walker’s historic debut as Mahomes returns
Walker took control immediately in his first game for Kansas City. He handled the ball on each of the Chiefs’ first four offensive plays and received seven carries during the opening touchdown drive, which ended with Mahomes scrambling 15 yards for a score.
The former Seattle running back later broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, pushing Kansas City to a 21-7 lead. He also caught a 2-yard touchdown on an underhand toss from Mahomes.
Walker’s 191 scrimmage yards set a career high and marked the largest Week 1 total by a reigning Super Bowl MVP, moving past Jerry Rice’s 180-yard performance in 1989. His 173 rushing yards were also the second-most by a veteran in his first game with a new team, behind Michael Turner’s 220-yard Falcons debut in 2008.
Kansas City has not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Kareem Hunt in 2017, Mahomes’ final season before becoming the full-time starter. But the Chiefs’ approach against Denver indicated Walker could carry a substantial workload after splitting opportunities for much of 2025 in Seattle, where Zach Charbonnet’s injury opened the door for Walker’s Super Bowl LX MVP run.
Mahomes shakes off rust in first game back
Mahomes played nine months after tearing his ACL and LCL, wearing a large brace on his left knee as he made his return. His opening touchdown run provided an early sign of confidence, though his passing performance remained uneven.
Mahomes completed 15 of 27 passes for 184 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He found Rashee Rice on a screen pass that became a 13-yard touchdown, connected with Travis Kelce for 59 yards in the third quarter and threw Walker’s short receiving score.
Brandon Jones intercepted Mahomes after Walker’s long touchdown, giving Denver possession at the Kansas City 5-yard line. The Broncos lost yardage on the ensuing series and settled for Wil Lutz’s 31-yard field goal, their final points of the night.
Mahomes was more comfortable at times outside the pocket than operating from it, but Kansas City did not need him to shoulder the offense alone. Walker’s production, an effective ground game and a dominant defensive showing carried the Chiefs to a win over Denver, ending a three-game skid against their AFC West rival.
Denver offense and defense both struggle
Bo Nix returned after the ankle fracture that ended his postseason in the Divisional Round, but Denver’s offense could not sustain momentum in Davis Webb’s debut as offensive coordinator and play-caller.
Nix threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram that tied the game in the first quarter. After that, the Broncos generated little offense, finishing with nine first downs and 176 total yards — fewer than Walker’s 191 scrimmage yards by himself.
J.K. Dobbins led Denver with 36 rushing yards, while Nix faced pressure on 45.5% of his dropbacks, the second-highest pressure rate of his career.
The Broncos’ defense, coordinated by Vance Joseph, entered after consecutive seasons ranked third in points allowed. It could not contain Kansas City’s rushing attack and repeatedly failed to finish tackles. Denver missed 28 tackles and allowed 247 yards after missed tackles, both figures representing the highest such yardage total by a defense since at least 2018. Eight Broncos missed at least two tackles.
New Chiefs contributors make an impact
Several newcomers helped Kansas City’s rebuild after a 6-11 campaign. Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson started at left tackle despite not playing the position in college and surrendered only one quarterback pressure across 32 pass-blocking snaps.
Second-round rookie R Mason Thomas recorded two pressures and contributed one of the Chiefs’ four sacks. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson added 68 scrimmage yards, complementing Walker in the revamped backfield.
Injury report
- Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs quarterback: Returned to action after last season’s ACL and LCL tears. He played with a brace on his left knee.
- Bo Nix, Broncos quarterback: Returned after suffering an ankle fracture in the Divisional Round.
- Mansoor Delane, Chiefs cornerback: Left the game with a shoulder injury after recording an interception.
- Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks running back: His prior injury was a factor in Walker receiving a larger role during Seattle’s Super Bowl run.
SEO Title: Kenneth Walker powers Chiefs past Broncos in debut as Patrick Mahomes returns
SEO Description: Kenneth Walker III rushed for 173 yards and scored twice in his Chiefs debut, while Patrick Mahomes returned from ACL and LCL injuries in Kansas City’s win over Denver.
