Kenneth Walker III matches milestone only one Seahawks legend had accomplished

When the 2025 season started, the Seattle Seahawks stuck with a strict formula at running back. Hoping to keep starter Kenneth Walker III healthy for the entire season, Seattle split the workload at this position pretty much down the middle with Zach Charbonnet.

Fantasy football owners of Walker were furious with this arrangement, and a lot of the time it seemed arbritrary - especially after games when Walker dramatically outshined his primary backup.

Now that we're in the midst of the Seahawks' playoff run it doesn't seem like such a bad call, though. They managed to keep Walker healthy the whole year, and with one more win to go before the Super Bowl Walker is playing better than ever.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

On Saturday night Walker did something no Seahawks running back has done in the playoffs in 20 years - not even Marshawn Lynch. Here's Garrett Podell at CBS Sports noting Walker's accomplishment, matching the team's only league MVP, Shaun Alexander.

"He (Walker) amassed 145 yards from scrimmage (119 rushing and 29 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns in a winning effort. He joined 2005 NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander as the only players in Seahawks history with at least three rushing touchdowns in a playoff game."

This historic performance by Walker didn't come out of nowhere, either. Over the last month Walker has been steadily heating up for Seattle's offense.

In the final three games of the regular season, Walker went off for 248 total rushing yards while averaging 5.9 yards per attempt.

It's a good thing that Walker has carried that momentum over into the playoffs, because the Seahawks now have no choice but to ride him like a true workhorse running back. Earlier today we learned that Charbonnet suffered a significant knee injury against the 49ers that will knock him out for the rest of the playoffs and require surgery.

Seattle already has two other running backs on injured reserve with Kenny McIntosh and George Holani shut down for the year. That leaves Velus Jones Jr. as the only other healthy running back on the roster, plus Cam Akers on the practice squad.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) carries the ball as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green (0) defends during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

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