Running back Kenneth Walker III couldn’t have asked for a better debut with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He racked up 173 rushing yards and one touchdown on 23 carries, and also caught three passes for 18 yards and another touchdown. Walker was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance, but unfortunately was also hit with a fine.
NFL Fines Kansas City Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III for Throwing Ball Into Stands
Walker took to TikTok to reveal that the league fined him $8K for throwing the ball into the stands after scoring his second touchdown in Week 1’s matchup against the Denver Broncos.
“After I scored the other night, I threw the ball into the crowd. It cost me an $8K fine… but this man’s memory is priceless,” Walker posted with his video. He also captioned it with “Shout out to unc,” featuring a cry-laughing emoji.
It’s good to see Walker in good spirits about the fine. It may seem silly, but throwing the ball into the stands is indeed a fineable offense as it violates the NFL’s Sportsmanship policy. To be specific, Walker was likely fined $8,357, per the league’s fine and accountability page. If he does it again, Walker will be fined $$14,328 as a second-time offender.
Revamped Rushing Attack Has Already Transformed Chiefs’ Offense
Kansas City has been longing for a legitimate running game for several years. It now may have more that it could have dreamed of. Not only does Walker bring game-changing speed to the table, but he can be a workhorse back who is also included in the passing game. He expressed his gratitude to his coaching staff after the game for the vote of confidence they’ve shown him.
“We knew what we were going to do in this game, and we executed it,” Walker said. “They trust me, they trust the running backs, and they trust that we’re going to move the ball in the run game.”
Not to be forgotten is backup Emmett Johnson, who posted 10 total touches for 68 yards in relief of Walker. Johnson carried the momentum he built during preseason, and should make for a perfect backup to Walker in the Chiefs’ offense.
NFL Hits Kenneth Walker’s Pocketbook After Week 1 Incident