Super Bowl MVP Walker set to sign with Chiefs in blockbuster deal

Kansas City, MO — The Kansas City Chiefs are poised to reshape their backfield by agreeing to terms with free-agent running back Kenneth Walker III on a three-year, $45 million contract, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed Monday. The blockbuster move lands the reigning Super Bowl MVP at Arrowhead Stadium at the same time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce announced he will postpone retirement and return for a 14th NFL season in 2026.

Walker, 24, exploded onto the league’s biggest stage in February, torching the New England Patriots for 161 yards from scrimmage to power the Seattle Seahawks to a 29-13 victory in Super Bowl 60 at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium. In becoming the first running back to capture Super Bowl MVP honors since Terrell Davis in 1998, Walker validated his reputation as one of the game’s most dynamic open-field threats.

The Michigan State product now inherits a Chiefs rushing attack that ranked 25th in the NFL last season. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes—recovering from a December ACL tear—was forced to lead the team with 422 rushing yards as Kareem Hunt and an injury-plagued Isiah Pacheco struggled to establish consistency on the ground.

Walker’s playoff résumé offers immediate hope. During Seattle’s championship run he logged 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns in three postseason contests, punctuating a regular season in which he tallied 1,027 rushing yards and five scores while averaging a career-best 4.6 yards per carry. Originally selected in the second round of the 2022 draft, Walker tallied 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie before forming a productive tandem with Zach Charbonnet in 2025.

With Walker in the fold, Kansas City envisions a balanced offense capable of relieving pressure on Mahomes while rekindling the big-play element that has defined the club’s recent dynasty. The timing is critical: the Chiefs open 2026 seeking a fourth consecutive AFC West crown and an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl appearance.

Elsewhere Monday, the San Francisco 49ers reinforced Brock Purdy’s arsenal by agreeing to a three-year deal with veteran receiver Mike Evans. The 33-year-old exits Tampa Bay after 12 seasons and 11 straight 1,000-yard campaigns, having fallen short of the milestone in an injury-shortened 2025. Evans will line up alongside 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall as the Niners prepare to part ways with disgruntled wideout Brandon Aiyuk, whose 2026 guarantees were voided after he stopped reporting for knee rehabilitation last season.

In another notable transaction, running back Travis Etienne is returning to his home state, signing a four-year, $52 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. The former Clemson star amassed 3,798 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns in four seasons with Jacksonville, adding 1,107 rushing yards and seven scores in 2025. He will complement Alvin Kamara behind second-year quarterback Tyler Shough as the Saints look to rebound from a disappointing playoff exit.

As the league’s offseason carousel accelerates, Kansas City’s acquisition of Walker stands out as the headline grabber—an emphatic signal that the Chiefs intend to keep their championship window wide open.