Overwhelmed by emotion, he could barely find the words. However, his football career almost came to an end before it could take off in the first place.
It was the summer of 2018. Walker was preparing for his senior season of high school, the only way he knew how — grinding in the weight room and sharpening his skills on the field. Dreaming about playing collegiate football for a powerhouse program, he was preparing to post the best year of his youth career.
Having zero Power Five offers at that time, the Tennessee native was ready to convince college coaches he belonged on the big stage. His high school nickname was "Thunder Shoes," known for speed and agility. Walker was finally going to break through.
"He was very humble. I always said that you'd never know he was a star football player based on the way he carried himself," said his former high school coach, Adam Sykes. "When he stepped on the field, he flipped that switch and turned into somebody that was very, very special to watch."
Then everything changed. Walker woke up one morning having trouble breathing. His mother rushed him to the hospital. After dreadful moments of waiting and helplessness, the doctors hit them with a brutal diagnosis. They discovered blood clots in his lungs and immediately shut him down from all sports. A medical emergency known as a pulmonary embolism can become fatal. Even worse, doctors told him football was over.
In the blink of an eye, Walker’s life took a major hit. Doctors told him that had he continued to play through the pain in his chest, a single hit in the wrong area could end his life.
"When a doctor told me I couldn't play anymore, I just thought football was over," Walker said.
But giving up? That was never an option for Walker.
He spent numerous nights in the hospital receiving treatment. Despite his young age, he learned how to administer blood-thinning injections twice a day, so he could leave the hospital and continue his recovery at home. For three months, he was prohibited from all contact sports.
Still, he stayed engaged — participating in non-contact drills and working out with his father to maintain his conditioning. Disciplined and patient, Walker eventually received medical clearance. He returned just in time for the start of his senior season.
But his dreams about playing football on a big stage were in jeopardy. He still had no offers from any powerhouse programs.
“I used to hear about those stars, and it really was an insult,” his father told the Detroit News. “I didn’t know where they were getting it from.”
Walker was equally baffled: “I was confused. How come I’m not getting offers?” He received a lot of interest from FCS schools, but was rated just a three-star recruit.
The running back quickly silenced any questions regarding his abilities after being out for so long. He was dominant. Totaling 1,403 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns during his senior campaign, he committed to Wake Forest in December.
It was his only Power Five offer.
Walker's collegiate breakthrough
“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 as 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,” said Walker as he reflected on the big challenge he once had to overcome.
The blood clots never returned. At Wake Forest, Walker made an immediate impact. As a true freshman, he appeared in all 13 games, rushing for 579 yards while averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He followed it up with an even stronger sophomore season. Over two years with the Demon Deacons, Walker totaled 1,158 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. After two productive seasons, Walker transferred to Michigan State — and his career exploded.
In East Lansing, he became one of the most electrifying players in college football. He played and started all 12 games for the Spartans and had an unbelievable, record-breaking season after recording 1,636 rushing yards on 263 carries while adding 18 touchdowns. He was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year, earned consensus First-Team All-American honors, and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Behind his breakout season, Michigan State captured the Big Ten championship and punched a ticket to the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Despite holding another year of eligibility, Walker decided to forgo his senior season and declared for the 2022 NFL draft. The Seattle Seahawks selected him as the 41st overall pick. Once again, Walker wasted no time making an impact.
From his rookie season on, he was a playmaker for Seattle, earning accolades and recognition for his explosive running style. His second NFL season only reinforced his status as a cornerstone of the offense. His third year, however, tested him.
Burdened by injuries, Walker made 11 starts before an ankle injury placed him on the injured reserve list and ended his last season’s effort. But adversity was nothing new. Quietly and relentlessly, he attacked rehab the same way he approached the game — with discipline and focus.
Inside the Seattle locker room, the star running back is known for his soft-spoken, quiet, and reserved approach. He doesn’t talk much – he lets the game do the talking.
Walker's unforgettable 2025 season
And during the 2025 season, it talked louder than ever. Walker came back in top-tier shape and shone for Seattle since day one. For the first time in his career, he started all 17 games for the Seahawks, finishing with 1,027 rushing yards on 221 carries. That’s 4.6 yards per carry. With his help, Seattle clinched the No. 1 seed for the postseason.
But it wasn’t just his elite game and consistency that helped carry the Seahawks. K9 – a nickname he earned after choosing to wear No. 9 – showed up when the stakes were highest.
His teammate and fellow running back, Zach Charbonnet, tore his ACL during the Divisional Round Game against the 49ers. These two were a powerful backfield duo, sharing and splitting the ball plays. When Charbonnet went down, all eyes and attention turned to Walker. But he didn’t shy away. He didn’t flinch.
In three postseason games, Walker rushed for 313 yards – just five yards short of Marshawn Lynch’s postseason franchise record. And he saved his best for the Super Bowl. On the biggest stage of his life, Walker delivered the performance of a lifetime.
He rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries and added 26 receiving yards, serving as the engine of Seattle’s offense in a defense-heavy battle. By halftime alone, he had already piled up 94 rushing yards.
“It's surreal; K9's 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.”
After the Seahawks dominated the Patriots 29-13, Walker was named Super Bowl MVP — becoming the first running back to win the award since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII.
“If I would tell myself as a kid right now, I wouldn’t have guessed I would have been the one to win MVP,” Walker said. "It’s a surreal moment, and it doesn’t happen without the guys in the locker room.”
His teammates showered him with praise.
“I’m so happy for him,” said Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the team’s star wide receiver. “Y’all don’t understand what K9 has gone through. He’s a special player. He’s a special player and our o-line – they’re special. We have a special group of guys, and I feel like when you look back at this team, y’all will realize how special we are.”
Throughout the postseason, Walker found his motivation in honouring Charbonnet. After he suffered the season-ending injury, Walker played with Charbonnet’s No. 26 written on his wrist. Once Walker took the MVP award, his teammate wasn’t surprised at all.
“He's been doing it all year,” Charbonnet said. “He’s the best there is, man. Love to have him.”
A career just starting
It truly was a special night for K9. For the first time, he won the Lombardi Trophy. Lifted the MVP award. But there was one more emotional milestone. For the first time in Walker’s professional career, his father watched him play in person.
He had been there through everything — the hospital stays, the workouts, the doubt — but the overwhelming nature of NFL crowds had always kept him away. This time, he couldn’t miss it. And he watched his son make history.
"My dad comes out to Seattle all the time and watches games, but he never goes to the game because he doesn’t like crowds,” Walker said after his stellar performance. “So, this is his first NFL game, and we won a Super Bowl, so it means a lot to me, and I know you’re proud of me for real.”
Walker’s stunning season, crowned with the championship ring, cements one more thing – running backs are still crucial in the game of football. Many are predicting the demise of the running back spot in the NFL, but Walker showed that the old ways are still effective.
“You know, back in the day, people used to love running backs,” he said. “So, I just hope we get that same energy back sometime soon.”
The running game works. And Kenneth Walker III proved it while helping Seattle to stand on top of the football world.