Seahawks' Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III Nearly Had Career End Before It Began

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is going to Disneyland after winning Super Bowl LX MVP honors.

Walker ran for 135 yards in the Seahawks' 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots to help the team win the Super Bowl for just the second time in franchise history. Walker's performance will go down in Seahawks history, but there were a lot of challenges the running back faced before his epic showing in the Super Bowl.

Back in high school, Walker was told by a doctor that he would not be able to play football after x-rays revealed that there were blood clots in each of his lungs.

"The doctor told me I couldn't play anymore," Walker said via the team's website.

"I just thought football was over. That's something I was doing all my life, so it was a shocking moment. But my dad worked with me throughout that whole process, and he was in the hospital with me as well as my mom. Just going through that, it made me grateful for each and every day to be able to strap up and play this game."

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Walker Bounced Back From Adversity

Luckily for Walker and the Seahawks, he was able to take blood thinners and get cleared by the doctors. He went on to play his collegiate football at Wake Forest for three years before transferring to Michigan State, where he had a breakout 2021 season that led to him being drafted in the second round by the Seahawks in 2022.

After four years with the Seahawks, he proved himself to be the top running back, but questions began to linger with the team drafting Zach Charbonnet in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After Charbonnet tore his ACL in the divisional round, Walker was given the green light and became the bell cow. Now, he's a Super Bowl MVP.

Walker is a free agent this offseason, but his performance in the Super Bowl likely raised his earning potential and he could have his pick of several teams this offseason that could be interested in his services.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III runs the ball | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Walker Bounced Back From Adversity

More Seahawks on SI stories