RENTON, Wash. (AP) — When Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending knee injury in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers, Kenneth Walker III rushed onto the field to check on his fellow Seattle Seahawks backfield teammates.
Initially, Walker was told Charbonnet — who led the Seahawks with 12 touchdowns and became the first Seattle player since Marshawn Lynch in 2014 to rush for at least 10 points in a season — would be fine.
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Instead, Walker’s role has grown as the Seahawks are one win away from their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
“Obviously, what happened to him was unfortunate,” Walker told The Associated Press. “But, I’ve been going through this all season. I’m ready for anything.”
Walker, who ran for 1,000 yards this season for the first time since his rookie season (1,027), was not only ready but performed well in Charbonnet’s absence. Including the game when Charbonnet was injured, Walker averaged 4.7 yards per carry in the playoffs, catching all seven passes for 78 yards and rushing into the end zone four times.
Before the Seahawks’ 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak pointed to the film as reason enough for Walker to handle more touches.
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“He plays really good football,” Kubiak said last week. “We have confidence in him to carry a heavier load, but it’s not entirely up to him. He has help behind him. We’re counting on him.”
Walker also totaled at least 100 yards twice in the Seahawks’ final three games of the regular season. He attributes his individual success to Seattle’s attention to detail as a team in every aspect of the running game.
“Tight ends hit their guys, target who they should be targeting,” Walker said. “Everyone around there is thinking in more detail about who they should be targeting. Receivers, tight ends, everyone is on the same page.”
But heading into what could be Walker’s final game in a Seahawks uniform, no one has captured the point better and received more attention than Walker. The 25-year-old running back is in the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to become a free agent in 2026. Given his performance, Walker is expected to receive a significant raise.
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General manager John Schneider drafted Walker in the second round in 2022 and would be sad to see the Michigan State product go if he chooses to do so.
“Ken was awesome,” Schneider said. “Explosive. I would say maybe a little more decisive in the last month and a half. He’s a free agent. We’d love to have him back.”
The way Schneider saw it, Walker was rejuvenated down the stretch after being quiet for much of the midseason. As Walker said, it’s been an up-and-down season personally, and the team has had a lot of success on the court, which means more to him.
Walker is proud of stepping up during Charbonnet’s absence, especially because he considers Charbonnet a brother. Meanwhile, Walker’s future in the Pacific Northwest is uncertain and his mental capacity is tested.
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Instead of thinking about whether the Super Bowl would be his swan song with the Seahawks, Walker divided his role into just that in one of the most important games in franchise history.
“I really didn’t think about it,” Walker said. “If I worry about that, then I won’t be able to focus on what I actually need to focus on.”
So what’s going on in Walker’s head these days?
“I really want to win a Super Bowl,” he said.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
