SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The quarterback monopoly is officially dead. For nearly three decades, the NFL’s biggest prize has been a reserved seat for signal-callers, but on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, Kenneth Walker III flipped the script. The Seattle Seahawks running back rushed for 135 yards and dominated the clock in a gritty 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots, becoming the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in 1998.
Ground and Pound: How Walker Broke the Patriots
While the pre-game hype focused on the quarterback duel between Seattle’s Sam Darnold and New England’s rookie sensation Drake Maye, the game itself was decided in the trenches. Walker was the engine that never stalled, carrying the ball 27 times and adding two receptions for 26 yards. His 161 total yards from scrimmage accounted for nearly half of Seattle’s total offensive output.
The turning point came late in the third quarter. With the Seahawks clinging to a narrow lead and the Patriots’ defense seemingly adjusting to the pass, Walker broke loose for a 30-yard run that silenced the New England faithful. He didn’t just find holes; he created them, punishing a Patriots front seven that looked exhausted by the fourth quarter.
Walker’s performance was a masterclass in efficiency and endurance. Unlike the modern trend of running back committees, Seattle leaned entirely on their star, who averaged a bruising 5.0 yards per carry against one of the league’s top-ranked run defenses.
“If I told myself as a kid I’d be here right now, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s a surreal moment. The quarterbacks get all the love usually, but tonight was about the O-line moving mountains. This trophy is heavy, but it feels good.” — Kenneth Walker III, Super Bowl 60 MVP
“We knew they wanted to make us one-dimensional. We just chose the dimension they didn’t want to deal with. Ken ran like a man possessed tonight.” — Mike Macdonald, Seahawks Head Coach
History Made: The Ghost of Terrell Davis
To understand the magnitude of Walker’s achievement, you have to look back to Super Bowl XXXII. That was the last time a running back—Denver’s Terrell Davis—hoisted the Pete Rozelle Trophy. Since then, the award has gone to quarterbacks 17 times and wide receivers four times. Walker’s win isn’t just a personal accolade; it’s a statement for the position.
The victory also secures the Seahawks’ second Lombardi Trophy, erasing the ghosts of their last Super Bowl appearance against New England. This time, there was no goal-line interception, only a relentless ground attack that bled the clock and secured the win.
What’s Next: The Dynasty Question
With a young core locked in and a defense that held the Patriots to just one touchdown, Seattle enters the offseason as the team to beat in the NFC. For Walker, entering the final year of his contract, the price tag just went up. But for now, the Seahawks aren’t thinking about cap space—they’re planning a parade.
