Kenneth Walker will return to Seattle on Sunday night as Kansas City’s featured running back after leaving the Seahawks in the offseason, bringing the NFL’s most productive rushing resume through six weeks into a matchup with his former team.
Walker has posted 665 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 106 attempts for the Chiefs, leading the league despite appearing in only five games. His arrival has helped Kansas City open 5-0 and re-emerge as a leading AFC contender, while Seattle has dealt with uneven offensive play and costly turnovers.
What changed for the franchise
Walker departed the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks in March after a Seattle tenure capped by a Super Bowl LX MVP performance. Kansas City moved quickly to make him its full-time starter, and the Chiefs have increasingly built their offense around his ability to carry the ground game.
The running back said his attention remains on Kansas City’s corrections rather than any personal score to settle in Seattle.
“I’m focused on evaluating the errors we made,” Walker said Wednesday. “When we reach that stage, we’ll find out.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expects the homecoming to carry weight for Walker, who spent formative NFL years in Seattle and shared a championship run with many people still in the organization.
Mahomes said the trip will be meaningful because of Walker’s connections to former teammates and Seahawks supporters, but stressed that Kansas City’s priority is winning the game.
Coach Andy Reid said Seattle’s players know Walker well enough to try to challenge him, but he expects the running back to remain composed. Reid praised Walker’s direct, physical style, saying he brings the same approach regardless of opponent or venue.
Seattle’s defense, known as the Dark Side, will try to slow a Chiefs rushing attack that has leaned heavily on Walker’s early-season production. A strong performance in his old stadium would add another chapter to a move that has quickly paid off for Kansas City.
