Despite being months removed from the star’s departure, there is still plenty of chatter about Kenneth Walker’s exit from the Seattle Seahawks to join the Kansas City Chiefs. Ahead of Walker’s return to Seattle during NFL Week 7, new surprising details are emerging about the star’s breakup with the Seahawks.
The Chiefs clearly made Walker a lucrative offer that the star could not turn down. Yet, it appears that the Seahawks stunningly never made Walker an offer, per The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar.
“There were no serious discussions — on that day (during the Seahawks’ championship parade) or any other — about Walker returning to the team that used a second-round draft pick on him in 2022,” Dugar wrote in an October 21, 2026, story titled, “The Seahawks let Ken Walker walk away. Now, the Chiefs star might be the NFL’s best player.”
“Walker’s postseason performance put him in such high demand that he effectively priced himself out of Seattle, which didn’t make a contract offer ahead of free agency, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.”
Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker Opened Up on Seahawks Exit
During the offseason, Walker admitted to knowing that his time with the Seahawks was coming to a close. Walker’s value was given a boost after his Super Bowl MVP performance.
“I would say probably, if I’m being honest, probably like sometime during the season,” Walker told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio during a May interview. “You know, things ain’t working out how I was expecting to, and that’s all right.
“It worked out for the team. So sometime during the season and then we get to free agency, pretty much knowing like you weren’t gonna be there no more.”
The Seahawks May Be Regretting Not Making Kenneth Walker an Offer
The Seahawks were banking on the idea that the team could turn to cheaper options as the franchise let Walker walk. It is a bit of a surprise that Seattle did not even attempt to make an offer to Walker.
Fans may remember that the Seahawks balanced carries between Walker and Zach Charbonnet. For whatever reason, the Seahawks were reluctant to fully lean on Walker until the team was forced to during the postseason following Charbonnet’s injury.
The Seahawks’ Decision to Pay Rashid Shaheed Over Kenneth Walker Has Not Aged Well
Seattle signed Rashid Shaheed to a three-year, $51 million contract this offseason. By comparison, Walker inked a three-year, $43 million contract with the Chiefs.
“That’s a position that you can find guys,” Schneider said following Walker’s exit during a March interview with Seattle Sports’ “Wyman and Bob.” “And obviously, (Walker was) outstanding, and everybody’s really excited for him.
“I mean, that’s a great, great contract for a running back. But George (Holani) did a great job. We’re really excited about Emmanuel Wilson, who we got from Green Bay, a heavy runner with really nice feet.”
Seattle is hoping that rookie Jadarian Price can eventually help replace Walker’s production. So far, Price’s NFL career is off to a slow start as a result of injuries and turnovers.
Seahawks Took Controversial Action on Kenneth Walker as Star Cut Ties for Chiefs: Insider