Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III Recalls Seahawks’ Adversities After Winning What Saquon Barkley Couldn’t Last Year

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for 135 yards in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots, was named Super Bowl LX’s Most Valuable Player. Walker became the first RB since Terrell Davis in 1998 to win Super Bowl MVP, a rarity in today’s quarterback-driven NFL.

Walker himself described the achievement as unbelievable during his post-game interview. He said it was “just a dream come true” because many players never even reach the Super Bowl, let alone win MVP.

Yes, it is indeed the highest individual accolade so far in Walker’s career. But football is a team game, and true to that spirit, the running back went on to highlight the adversities the Seahawks overcame this season to reach the pinnacle.

“We went through a lot of adversity this season, but we came together, and we stuck together, and this is what we got,” said Walker, thanking his teammates, while praising the team’s resilience.

Walker shouldered a heavier workload down the stretch after Seattle’s offense lost running back Zach Charbonnet to a torn ACL in the playoffs. The way he stepped up more than proved his ability to lead, especially when the circumstances get tough.

His MVP performance not only helped deliver a Super Bowl title for the Seahawks but also snapped a decades-long drought for running backs winning the award. This underscored how well he played and how meaningful the achievement was for his position.

The achievement’s significance gets highlighted all the more when we look at last year’s Super Bowl. Saquon Barkley, who starred for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season and helped them win Super Bowl LIX, did not win Super Bowl MVP in that game.

Of course, Barkley recorded modest yardage in that game. The MVP honor went to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for his performance in their 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.