Kenneth Walker makes case for extension with monster game vs. 49ers

There was a lot of pressure for the No. 1-seeded Seattle Seahawks to capitalize on a fantastic regular season and get the first-round bye with a potential win over the No. 6-seeded San Francisco 49ers. Through the first three quarters, the Seahawks look like the team to beat for a Super Bowl. One of the biggest reasons is running back Kenneth Walker III.

There was a lot of pressure for the Seahawks to get the running game going due to the oblique injury to quarterback Sam Darnold. The game plan offensively was the same, which was to overpower the 49ers on the ground. Walker became the offensive player of the game in the Seahawks’ 41-6 win over the 49ers.

From the start of the game, Walker has been the driving force of the Seahawks’ offense. While the offensive line has been stellar in setting up excellent lanes in the interior and creating opportunities for big outside runs, Walker continues to be a high-volume player.

Through the first drive of the fourth quarter, Walker rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries for an average of 6.1 yards per carry. Walker also caught three receptions for 29 yards. It’s the second time that Walker has scored three touchdowns on the ground since last year’s 42-29 road loss to the Detroit Lions.

His three touchdowns on the ground are the most accounted for by a player in franchise history, tying former league MVP Shaun Alexander.

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III celebrates with his offensive linemen in the win over the San Francisco 49ers. — Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) reacts with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Walker is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He is set to earn a market value of $8.397 million, according to Spotrac. These past few games in the regular season and, now, the dominant playoff performance show that Walker deserves to get the luxurious contract.

The Seahawks need to ensure that Walker remains on the team moving forward. Walker is a key part of the Seahawks’ offensive ideology as much as wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and quarterback Sam Darnold.

Seattle has the salary cap to get a deal without requiring a franchise tag. The Seahawks currently have the seventh-highest salary cap space available at $66.888 million for the top 51 cap space.

General manager John Schneider and his front office staff have already made moves to prepare for the upcoming offseason with the contract extension of star left tackle Charles Cross. The Seahawks and Cross agreed to a four-year, $104.4 million deal with only a $10.880 million hit in the 2026 season.

This gives the Seahawks much more to make some moves for potential big signings and re-signings. Among them should be Walker, who finished the regular season with 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries. He followed that up with a stellar performance in the two wins over the 49ers, including the Divisional Round win.

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