Kansas City spent big this offseason trying to fix a problem that has followed them for years – a rushing drought. NFL writer Kevin Patra thinks that fix could turn their fortunes and become the Chiefs’ real MVP in 2026. Not quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III.

“The Chiefs signed the Super Bowl MVP (Kenneth Walker), an acknowledgement that their ground game hasn’t been good enough,” Patra wrote on his NFL MVP report.

Since Kareem Hunt put up 1,327 rushing yards in 2017, Kansas City has not had a 1,000-yard rusher. That was before Mahomes even took over as starter. Last season did not help either. The Chiefs ranked 25th in rushing yards per game at 106.6, averaging just 4.21 yards a carry. The Chiefs even missed the postseason in 2025, breaking their 10-year streak of playoff appearances. But the team believes Walker can fix this.

Walker is coming into Kansas City off the best stretch of his career. He signed a three-year, $43 million deal with the Chiefs in March, days after having helped the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, a game where he rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.

His regular season production backed that up too. Walker put up 1,309 total yards in 2025, 1,027 of them on the ground, and five touchdowns. Then the playoffs came, and he somehow raised his level even further.

Mahomes was nowhere near that kind of form even before the injury took him out. 62.7 percent completions, 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. For the three-time Super Bowl MVP, those numbers are low.

Back in 2022, his last MVP year, he threw for 5,250 yards, 41 touchdowns, best in the league. That’s the gap between where he was then and where he was last season before his knee gave out.

“The world expects Mahomes not to miss a beat, but he’s 30 and coming off a season-ending knee injury,” Patra added. “There is a level of unknown. Walker’s consistent rushing attack should provide the star QB some aid until the passing game gets on track.”

That uncertainty is exactly why Kenneth Walker seems essential for the Chiefs. With Mahomes coming off a serious injury, the signal-caller will be looking for some veteran support to make another title charge in 2027.

Where Patrick Mahomes’ MVP and Super Bowl odds actually stand right now

Mahomes tore both his ACL and LCL in his left knee during Kansas City’s Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last December, a defeat that also knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention for the first time since 2014. He underwent surgery the next day and has been chasing a Week 1 return against Denver ever since.

Head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Mahomes has been fully cleared with no restrictions for training camp at Missouri Western State University. That is roughly seven months after the injury.

His implied chance to start Week 1 is now at 87 percent on Kalshi. His MVP odds sit at plus-1000 on DraftKings. Both jumped after the clearance news dropped.

“Just looking at the dates, and there were certain checkpoints I had to get to, to get to this point. And this is just another checkpoint on the schedule,” Mahomes said in a press conference on July 24.

Last season was the worst of his career as a starter. A 6-11 finish ended a run of five Super Bowl appearances and three wins in six seasons. Mahomes has said he wants to run less in 2026 after leaning on his legs more than usual last year. A veteran running back with recent Super Bowl experience, such as Kenneth Walker, can definitely help with that.