Kenneth Walker III made an immediate impact in his Kansas City Chiefs debut, but one fan had already found a reason to root for the running back before he ever touched the football.
Walker rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday night. He finished with 191 yards from scrimmage on 26 touches in his first game for Kansas City.
Before the game, Chiefs fan Kelli Turner approached Walker and asked whether he would take a photo with her and her son, who has level 3 autism and severe ADHD. Turner said Walker’s response left a lasting impression.
“I just walked up to him and just asked him, ‘Is it okay if you take a picture with my son and I?’” Turner told KMBC.
Walker agreed, and Turner said the running back took his time with them.
“For me, it was so overwhelming and so heartfelt that he even took his time out to take his picture,” Turner said. “He was so patient, so sweet and so kind. I just thought, oh my gosh, we got a good player here.”
Kenneth Walker III’s Chiefs Debut Earns ‘Spectacular’ Praise From Andy Reid
Walker then gave Kansas City fans plenty to celebrate once the game started.
Rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane intercepted Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on Denver’s opening possession, and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid immediately leaned on his new running back.
Reid called four consecutive runs for Walker, including a successful fourth-down attempt. Walker received three more carries before Patrick Mahomes finished the opening drive with a rushing touchdown.
Walker later broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown on fourth down early in the third quarter. Reid called the play “a thing of beauty.”
“You never know, going in, how many times you’re going to give him the ball,” Reid said. “That’s not a calculated thing, you gotta be making yards. For him to play the way he did, I thought it was spectacular. It was something you hope for, and you got to see it, where he was the main guy. Did a great job with it.”
Walker said the workload showed how much confidence the Chiefs already have in him.
“It means a lot,” Walker said after the game. “It means they trust me. It’s good to feel that way.”
Chiefs Fans Quickly Embrace Kenneth Walker III After Memorable First Game
Walker’s performance came in his first game since winning Super Bowl LX MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. While his Chiefs debut carried different stakes, he immediately took on a significant role in Kansas City’s offense.
Interest in the running back is already growing among his new fanbase, with searches for Walker jerseys reportedly spiking in both Kansas and Missouri following his debut.
For Turner, however, Walker’s interaction with her son mattered just as much as what he accomplished against Denver.
“Not only do we have an amazing superstar on our team; we have an amazing human being on our team,” Turner said.
Kenneth Walker III Wins Over Young Chiefs Fan With Heartwarming Gesture Before 2-Touchdown Debut