‘Unbelievable’ play highlights big return for Seahawks RB Ken Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III pulled off his best WWE impression on Monday night.

Observations from Seahawks’ loss to Lions on MNF

Early in the second quarter of Seattle’s 42-29 primetime loss to Detroit, Walker caught a short pass in the flat and was tackled by Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone. However, as he was being taken down, Walker rolled on top of Anzalone and spun back onto his feet without ever touching the ground.

Walker then leaned headfirst into Anzalone, rolled over him with a somersault, popped back onto his feet again and ran for an extra 5 yards.

It resulted in one of the more extraordinary 10-yard gains imaginable.

Kenneth Walker did a full somersault for the first down 😂

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— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2024

“Have you ever seen a play like that in your life?” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Tuesday morning during his weekly conversation on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “Unbelievable. His skill set is so great, but I think what’s underrated about Ken is just his will and competitiveness. I mean, this guy is just fighting and clawing for every extra inch.”

That play highlighted a big night for Walker, who totaled 116 yards and three touchdowns in his first game back since suffering an oblique injury in the fourth quarter of the season opener. Walker rushed for 80 yards and a career-high three TDs on 12 carries, while adding four receptions for 36 yards.

Walker’s somersault play was one of several impressive moments.

Later in the that drive, Walker looked like he was stuffed up the middle for a loss, but bounced outside for a 1-yard TD run. In the third quarter, he broke runs of 28 and 23 yards. And early in the fourth, he took a toss to the left, weaved his way back to the right, turned on the jets and topped 20 mph while racing inside the right pylon for a 21-yard score.

“He’s special, man,” Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said. “You see the plays that he’s making, I don’t think any other running back could do some of the stuff that he’s doing. I mean, I’m surprised every time he makes one of those just crazy plays.

“And to have him and Zach (Charbonnet) back there, to have that one-two punch and to be able to utilize both of those guys within our offense, it just makes us that much better. And so just having Ken back, it’s great.”

Walker also had a big performance in Seattle’s Week 1 win over Denver, rushing for 103 yards and a TD on 20 carries before exiting with his injury. In two games this season, he has 225 yards from scrimmage and four TDs, while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

“I mean, talk about one of the guys that’s gonna fight to the bitter end,” Macdonald said. “This guy is tough as nails. … Plays are designed to go in certain gaps, and with him, it just could go anywhere. And he runs extremely hard, plays hard, he cares. We’re gonna be leaning on him moving forward, so it’s good to have him back.”

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