“It’s Embarrassing”: LeSean McCoy Calls Out Seattle Seahawks Over Tag Decision on Kenneth Walker III

The Seattle Seahawks did not franchise tag Kenneth Walker III amid a flurry of recent tags from other teams. It was a surprising move, given that Walker just won the Super Bowl MVP with the team. But it also shows that they aren’t willing to even slightly overpay at a position that has proven to be dispensable over the years.

When former NFL running back LeSean McCoy heard about this, he was not happy. He stood up for players of the position, saying that running backs are constantly overlooked compared to others. Especially quarterbacks. McCoy thinks that some players like Walker deserve to be paid because they can change a game, just like a QB.

“He’s effective in the running game, he’s effective in the passing game, and he can block. He’s a big game changer… It’s embarrassing,” McCoy said about Walker’s impending free agency on the Speakeasy podcast.

In Super Bowl LX, Walker ran for 135 yards on 27 carries. He also added two receptions for 26 yards. He was the team’s most reliable option for moving the ball against the New England Patriots, who had a strong defense. The game’s MVP award was well deserved.

In fact, Walker became the first running back to win SB MVP since Terrell Davis in 1998. Over that period of time, the position has seemingly been discounted in favor of quarterbacks, which is often called the most important position in sports. But McCoy doesn’t think that is fair or the right way to run an organization.

“It’s not even the Seahawks; it’s the NFL. If it ain’t a conversation about the quarterbacks, every other position, we gotta figure it out. Do we sign him or don’t we sign him? You have a quarterback who is average or above average in key wins, you know what they’re going to do? They’re gonna pay the quarterback. Think about how that sounds,” McCoy said. 

McCoy made some valid points. Running backs are not viewed in the same light as quarterbacks when it comes to money. But it’s not for no reason. Backs typically have a higher injury rate and a deeper pool of talent around the league. This is what leads many good backs like Walker to be underpaid.

Unless you’re an elite player like Saquon Barkley, a big RB contract is basically out of the question. That’s what fans tried to make clear to McCoy in reaction to his rant. 

“Shady getting defensive again. RBs are replaceable. We are currently in an era where QBs are scarce if you have one you have to hold on to it,” one commented.

“Shady just wants his running back brothers to get paid. But he’s definitely in denial when it comes to the fact that running backs are replaceable,” another added.

“Okay we won bc our defense buddy, we dont need Walker, respect to him. I rather see him get that 1500 with a team who gonna give him carries,” a Seahawks fan commented.

The general public was not as surprised as McCoy was when he saw Walker not receive the franchise tag. It had been rumored for weeks that it could potentially happen. Now that it has finally been addressed, the attention has turned to where he could go next.

The Kansas City Chiefs need to bolster their RB room. So do the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, and Washington Commanders. All in all, there are a lot of destinations that could be fighting for Walker’s service. 

At the end of the day, from a financial perspective, the Seahawks did the correct thing with Walker. He has a current market value of $9 million, which is $5 million less than the franchise tag for RBs. So, tagging him would’ve been a bit of an overpay. 

But morally, not tagging Walker feels so wrong. They don’t hand out Super Bowl MVPs to just anybody. He earned that award, and now he’s being rewarded by being escorted out of the Seahawks building. That’s just harsh.