Kenneth Walker III ran for a career-high 173 yards and two touchdowns in his Kansas City debut, and Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a 15-yard score in his return from a torn ACL, as the Chiefs opened the season with a 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP acquired from Seattle in the offseason, and Mahomes, a two-time league MVP returning from a nine-month rehabilitation, combined to give the Chiefs a backfield that produced 26 touches, 191 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns from Walker alone. Kansas City ran the ball more than it passed, finishing with 31 designed runs to 27 passing attempts.
Walker’s debut
Walker ran through, around and past the Broncos for his career-high yardage total, the most by a Chiefs player since Mahomes became the team’s starter in 2018. He also became just the third player since 2000 to top 100 rushing yards in a Kansas City debut, joining Kareem Hunt in 2017 and Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2020.
The best run was a 60-yard touchdown on fourth-and-inches in the third quarter. He forced 14 missed tackles, the most by any Chiefs player in a game since at least 2018, and created 101 rushing yards over expected, also the most by a Kansas City running back in that period.
Coach Andy Reid said he didn’t know going in how many times he’d give Walker the ball but called the performance spectacular and said it was what you hope for when you bring in a player as the main guy.
Walker said it means a lot. He said the offensive line’s work showed from OTAs to training camp and that all they had to do was come out and execute.
Mahomes called Walker phenomenal and said he has a special ability to run tough between the tackles and the speed to go all the way when he bounces it outside.
Mahomes’ return
Mahomes underwent surgery in December to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. He entered the field to a roaring crowd during player introductions, jumping and screaming in celebration.
On his 10th snap, he scrambled out of the pocket and dove through two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown. His top speed on the play was 15.8 mph, which was 2.5 mph faster than his average rushing speed last season.
He said going for the end zone gave him the confidence that he can go out there and be himself, that he had done so much rehab to get to this point and just wanted to play. He said the scramble was the physical moment that told him all the work had paid off.
He was less effective as a passer in the first half, then completed 7 of 9 attempts for 122 yards in the second half. He finished by saying he did not play his best but that the guys around him stepped up.
The supporting details
Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie right tackle from Indiana, made his NFL debut at left tackle, starting in place of Josh Simmons, who missed the game with a lower back injury. Benson became the first undrafted rookie on offense to start in Week 1 for Reid, who has coached Kansas City since 2013. Tight end Travis Kelce passed Jason Witten to become No. 2 all time on the receiving list for tight ends.
