Kenneth Walker III: Kansas City Chiefs set to sign Super Bowl MVP as Patrick Mahomes gets new weapon

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to sign Super Bowl MVP-winning running back Kenneth Walker III as much-needed help for Patrick Mahomes and his offense.

Walker starred with 161 yards from scrimmage to help guide the Seattle Seahawks to a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots at Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara in February.

In doing so he became the first running back since Terrell Davis in 1998 to win Super Bowl MVP, and will now spearhead a Kansas City rushing attack that ranked eighth-worst in the league last season.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Walker is set to sign a three-year $45m deal with the Chiefs, the news arriving on the same day it was announced tight end Travis Kelce will delay retirement to play a 14th season at Arrowhead.

The introduction of Walker comes as a major boost to quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in December last year.

Mahomes himself notably recorded 422 rushing yards last year as the Chiefs stuttered on the ground behind Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, the latter of whom was hindered by injury.

Walker was instrumental for Seattle on their path to Super Bowl glory, posting 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in three playoff outings.

He had produced 1,027 rushing yards and five touchdowns at a career-high 4.6 yards per carry during the regular season, sharing the workload with Zach Charbonnet before becoming a focal point in the wake of his teammate's injury late in the campaign.

The Seahawks drafted Walker out of Michigan State in the second round in 2022, before he managed 1,050 rushing yards and a career-high nine touchdowns in his rookie campaign.