A homecoming built up for weeks ended with a running back walking straight to the locker room.
Kenneth Walker III skipped the postgame handshakes after the Seattle Seahawks beat his Kansas City Chiefs 20 to 3 on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in his first game back in Seattle.
Why did Kenneth Walker III skip the handshakes?
As teammates headed to midfield after the final play, Kenneth Walker III went to the locker room without greeting his former Seahawks teammates.
He said the loss frustrated him and that seeing his old team celebrate added to it. He acknowledged that Seattle outplayed Kansas City and said the Chiefs simply need to get better.
Kenneth Walker III was the MVP of the last Super Bowl with Seattle, making him the first Super Bowl MVP to face his former team the following season. Walker joined Kansas City this offseason.
How did Seattle stop Kenneth Walker III?
Walker ran for just 36 yards on 14 carries, his lowest total of the season. He also caught all four passes thrown his way for 21 yards.
He entered the game leading the NFL with 665 rushing yards during the Chiefs’ unbeaten start, the most by any player in his first five games with a new team in league history. He also had seven runs of at least 20 yards before Sunday, tied with Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson for the league lead despite playing one fewer game.
Seattle played five or more defensive backs on all 50 of Kansas City’s snaps, mostly with two deep safeties. Kenneth Walker III never gained even 10 yards on a single carry, and on eight runs against seven defenders near the line, he managed 19 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. Kansas City had led the league in yards per play against defenses with five or more defensive backs.
The Seahawks have now gone 36 straight games, including the playoffs, without allowing a single runner to reach 100 yards.
A Seahawks safety said he and many teammates were motivated to hold Walker under 100 yards, adding that he believed the defense played lights out.
What went wrong for the Chiefs?
Kansas City was shorthanded. Tackle Josh Simmons is on injured reserve with a back injury, right tackle Jaylon Moore missed the game with a concussion, and receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton were also out.
Seattle turned a Patrick Mahomes interception into a touchdown late in the second quarter to lead by 10. Walker carried just five times in the second half as the Chiefs tried to rally, and the team’s receivers combined for six catches and 39 yards. Seattle’s star receiver also had a big night, continuing a strong start to his season.
Mahomes said the offense needs to help Walker by making defenses pay with fake handoffs and throws on the move. Otherwise, he said, opponents will keep crowding the line.
How rare was the Chiefs’ offensive struggle?
The three points tied the fewest in any game Mahomes has started. The Chiefs never reached the red zone, the first time that has happened in his 153 career starts, including the playoffs.
Mahomes said the offense failed to execute around midfield and acknowledged the loss stung, especially on national television.
What is next for Kenneth Walker III?
The loss was the Chiefs’ first of the season after five straight wins to open the year. The Chiefs will need their injured linemen and receivers back to restore balance to the offense.
Kenneth Walker III will look to bounce back quickly as Kansas City tries to regain its footing. For one night, though, his old team had the last word.
