Former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has suffered his first major setback of the 2026 regular season, with the Kansas City Chiefs ruling out their star running back for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday, November 14, that Walker will not play after suffering a groin injury during Thursday’s practice. The decision comes less than 24 hours after Kansas City initially listed him as questionable.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP has been one of the NFL’s most productive offensive players since leaving Seattle in free agency, rushing for 872 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games.
However, according to Schefter, the Chiefs aren’t taking any chances with their prized offseason acquisition.
The team reportedly wants to give Walker at least a week to recover rather than risk aggravating the injury.
Chiefs Make Kenneth Walker Injury Decision Before Falcons Game
Walker missed Friday’s practice after reporting groin tightness to the Chiefs’ medical staff, prompting immediate uncertainty about his availability.
Head coach Andy Reid addressed the situation during his Friday press conference, emphasizing that Kansas City would prioritize the running back’s health.
“We’re kind of feeling it out just to see where we’re at with that thing,” Reid said, according to KMBC. “We’re not going to put him at risk, or anything like that. That’s not how we roll. So if he can go, he can go. If he can’t, he can’t.”
One day later, the Chiefs made their decision.
Walker will miss Sunday’s matchup, eliminating a highly anticipated showdown with Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.
The two entered the weekend separated by just eight rushing yards. Robinson leads the NFL with 880, while Walker ranks second with 872 despite playing one fewer game.
Walker’s absence also creates an opportunity for rookie Emmett Johnson, who is expected to take over the bulk of Kansas City’s rushing attempts.
Reid indicated Friday that Johnson would handle most of the carries if Walker couldn’t play. Johnson has rushed for 111 yards and one touchdown this season.
Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker Decision Faces New Scrutiny
For Seattle, Walker’s absence adds another chapter to one of the most debated personnel decisions of the offseason.
The Seahawks allowed Walker to leave in free agency despite his Super Bowl LX MVP performance. Kansas City subsequently made him a centerpiece of its offense, and the early returns have been spectacular.
But as Heavy reported Friday, Walker has been handling a substantially heavier workload with Kansas City than he did during his final season in Seattle.
Walker has averaged 19.9 rushing attempts per game with the Chiefs, compared with 13.0 during the 2025 regular season with Seattle. That’s an increase of approximately 53%.
Seattle regularly split rushing responsibilities between Walker and Zach Charbonnet, a strategy that helped manage Walker’s workload after injuries interrupted each of his first three NFL seasons.
Walker ultimately played all 17 regular-season games in 2025 before helping deliver Seattle’s Super Bowl championship.
The Seahawks’ more cautious approach was sometimes criticized for limiting Walker’s opportunities. Kansas City, meanwhile, has given him the featured role he wanted.
There is no evidence that the increased workload caused Walker’s latest injury. And the Chiefs’ reported decision to rest him for at least one week suggests the team is attempting to prevent a relatively minor problem from becoming a more serious one.
Still, his absence highlights a consideration that was always part of Seattle’s decision-making: balancing Walker’s exceptional ability with the physical demands of an NFL season.
The Seahawks have their own backfield issues to resolve, and Walker’s outstanding start in Kansas City remains impossible to ignore.
But for the first time this season, Kansas City will have to find a way to win without its star running back.
Former Seahawks Star Kenneth Walker Gets Bad News After Chiefs Injury