Leaving Seattle was never going to be simple for Kenneth Walker III. The star running back was a key reason why the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. While fans will forever be thankful for his contribution during his time in Seattle, some have not taken his blockbuster move to the Kansas City Chiefs really well. A recent unsavory social media interaction between Walker and a fan was evidence of this.

“You a b**** for leaving Seattle greedy m***********,” a fan commented underneath one of Walker’s Instagram posts.

Walker decided to respond to the mean comment made by the fan.

“Shut yo soft a** up,” Walker replied.

The exchange quickly circulated online because Walker’s exit from Seattle was already one of the more emotionally charged moves of the offseason. For months, there had been speculation that the Seahawks could find a way to retain him after his massive season helped push the franchise back to the top of the league. Instead, Walker ultimately signed a lucrative deal worth $45 million over 3 years with Kansas City. He is now expected to become one of the focal points of the offense in Arrowhead.

Walker was brilliant, particularly during the Seahawks’ playoff run. In three playoff games, Walker tallied a total of 417 yards and 4 touchdowns. As for his heroics in the big game itself, Walker was named Super Bowl MVP. He rushed for 135 yards and caught 2 passes for 26 yards to win the Super Bowl MVP, thereby becoming the first RB since Terrell Davis to win the honor.

Walker finished eighth all-time in franchise rushing yards with 3,555 yards. And finished fifth in rushing touchdowns with 29 TDs. He’s been a productive player for the Hawks since Pete Carroll drafted him out of Michigan State in the 2nd round of the 2022 Draft.

Walker also made it clear recently that he holds no bitterness towards Seattle. While there were rumors that he was frustrated with having to split carries with Zach Charbonnet, Walker put those rumors to bed. He spoke glowingly about his relationship with Charbonnet.

“We’re always close,” Walker said in an interview with DJ Siddiqui of Ratings. “The media will try to separate you, say this, say that, but we knew off rip that we were going to be close.”

While the recent negative social media reaction can paint a negative image of Walker’s Seattle connection, his own words say something else entirely.

Walker’s Seattle Legacy Extends Beyond One Angry Fan and Chiefs Move

Walker has continued to speak highly about the people who shaped his Seahawks career, even after his departure. This includes a warm relationship with franchise legend Shaun Alexander.

Speaking with DJ Siddiqi, Walker explained that Alexander had remained a consistent presence in his life throughout his Seahawks career and even after the Super Bowl victory.

“I talked to Shaun Alexander,” Walker said. “I always talk to him, he’s pretty cool… it was just really conversations over the years that helped me. We’ve always talked. After the game, he was proud of me. I think before the game, got to see his kids. I think he had like 12 or 13, so I talked to them and got to take pictures with them. But we always have conversations.”

Despite having moved to a new franchise, Walker III revealed a few of his former teammates had reached out to offer their best wishes for his future.

“A few of my teammates reached out over social media or text. I talked to Zach. I still talk to Zach. I talk to Coby (Bryant), all those guys. I talk to most of the guys still, but yeah, a few of them reached out,” said Walker in an interview with Ratings.

The above relationship shows why one frustrated Instagram comment likely does not fully capture how the rest of the Seahawks world actually feels about Walker’s departure. One of the reasons why it will sting the team is how solid Walker has been for the franchise. In just four years with the Seahawks, he has all the top honors any RB would want, and letting a player like that leave is not going to be easy for fans. If Seattle really did want to keep him, they would have made him a competitive offer.

That never came, and now Walker will join the backfield with Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead beginning this September. Walker will have a chance to go up against his former team when the Chiefs visit Seattle for a Oct 25th Sunday Night Football match up. Now that’s a date NFL fans should circle on their calendars.