Kenneth Walker‘s father attended one of his NFL games for the first time in Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks star running back repaid that by having one of the best performances of his career in Seattle’s 29-13 win over New England. The 25-year-old star rushed for 135 yards en route to winning Super Bowl MVP honors on Sunday evening.
Walker showed gratitude toward his father not just for showing up to Sunday’s game but also for the many ways in which he has supported him over the years — including helping him get through one of the toughest times of his life.
“When the doctor told me I couldn’t play no more, I just thought football was over,” Walker told reporters following Super Bowl LX. “That’s what I was doing all my life. It was a shocking moment. My dad worked with me throughout that whole process. He was in the hospital with me, as well as my mom. That just made me grateful — each and every day, to be able to go out there and strap up and play this game and still be alive.”
Ahead of Walker’s senior year of high school in 2018, he was diagnosed with blood clots in both of his lungs. Doctors recommended that he stopped playing football, as he was placed on blood thinners and had to take a shot twice a day for three months. During that time, Walker’s father participated in non-contact workouts with him so he could stay in shape, according to ESPN.
Now, what once seemed unimaginable to Walker is a reality, as he’s just the eighth running back to win Super Bowl MVP. “If I would have told myself as a kid, I wouldn’t have guessed that I would be the one to win the MVP,” Walker said following Sunday’s game. “So it’s a surreal moment. It doesn’t happen without the guys in the locker room.
Sunday’s game capped off what’s been a stellar postseason for Walker. After rushing for 1,027 yards on 4.6 yards per carry in the regular season, Walker rushed for 313 yards on 4.8 yards per carry and three touchdowns in the playoffs; his postseason spike came after fellow Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in their divisional round win over the 49ers. As Walker had success this postseason, he had Charbonnet at the top of his mind.
“You know, for somebody like that to get hurt, it sucks,” Walker said. “I wrote his number on my wrist. I was going to show it when I scored, but I didn’t get to score a touchdown. But yeah, he supported me through everything.”
Williams certainly felt support from more people other than his teammates on Sunday as well. As Walker’s father attended his first NFL game, he continued to express the gratitude he had for his dad following Super Bowl LX.
“My dad, he comes out to Seattle all the time and watch games, but he never goes to the game because he don’t like crowds,” Walker said.
“So, this is his first NFL game, and we won a Super Bowl, so it means a lot to me and I know you’re proud of me for real.”
