On a night built for stars, Kenneth Walker III did not ask for attention. He took it.
The former West Tennessee standout delivered a performance that felt both timeless and rare, powering the Seattle Seahawks to a 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots and earning Super Bowl LX MVP honors. In doing so, Walker became the first running back since 1998 to win the award, a milestone that underscored just how commanding his night truly was.
For Walker, the moment carried meaning far beyond a trophy. Less than a decade earlier, his football future and his life were uncertain.
From Uncertainty to the Biggest Stage
Entering his senior year at Arlington High School in Tennessee, Walker’s career nearly ended before it ever fully began. In the summer of 2018, he woke up struggling to breathe and was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors discovered blood clots in both of his lungs.
“When a doctor told me I couldn’t play no more, I just thought football was over,” Walker said. “It was a shocking moment, but my dad worked with me throughout that whole process, and he was in the hospital with me as well and my mom. Going through that, it just made me grateful for each and every day to be able to go out there and strap up and play this game and just still be alive.”
That perspective never left him.
Letting the Game Speak
Walker has long been respected for a quiet, work-first mentality. Inside Seattle’s locker room, he is not defined by speeches or bravado, but by consistency and preparation. On Super Bowl Sunday, his performance carried all the volume necessary.
Walker rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries, adding 26 receiving yards on two catches. More than the numbers, it was how and when those yards came. He controlled tempo, absorbed contact, and forced the Patriots to defend every blade of grass.
For the first half of the game, Walker was the offense.
A three-play stretch featuring runs of 29 and 30 yards set up Seattle’s second field goal and placed him among rare company as just the third player in Super Bowl history with multiple rushes of 25-plus yards in a single game. By halftime, he had already accumulated 94 rushing yards on 14 carries, the second-highest opening-half total in Super Bowl history.
A Moment Seattle Trusted Him With
Seattle’s postseason run was not originally built around a single back. For much of the season, Walker shared responsibilities in a productive rotation. That changed when injuries forced the Seahawks to lean fully on him.
They never hesitated.
“It’s surreal; [Walker] is one of one,” Seahawks guard Grey Zabel said. “This guy is super deserving of all the success that he has and is going to continue to have. There’s nobody I’d rather block for than K9.”
Walker did not change his routine or his demeanor. He simply accepted the moment.
A Postseason That Defined a Career
Across three playoff games, Walker rushed for 313 yards, finishing just shy of the franchise postseason record. Super Bowl Sunday marked his third consecutive playoff game with more than 100 scrimmage yards, making him the only player in Seahawks history to accomplish the feat.
He finished the postseason leading all players in rushing yards, while his 417 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns ranked at or near the top across the league.
Full Circle
From Arlington High School in West Tennessee to a hospital room where his future was uncertain, and finally to the center of the Super Bowl stage, Kenneth Walker III’s journey is defined by gratitude, resilience, and consistency.
In an era where running backs are often treated as replaceable, Walker delivered a reminder that when the game demands toughness and control, it still belongs to those willing to carry it.
On football’s biggest night, he did more than win MVP.
He made it unforgettable.
Photo taken by NILvana Sports Creative Director, Joey Cascarano, at the Post-game conference.
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