Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 15

Kenneth Walker III Sparks 'Best Addition' Buzz After 173-Yard Chiefs Debut in 31-10 Win

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 15

Kenneth Walker III Sparks 'Best Addition' Buzz After 173-Yard Chiefs Debut in 31-10 Win

Q: How did Patrick Mahomes manage a 15-yard rushing touchdown in his first game back from major knee surgery?

Mahomes managed it because he returned fully cleared after an intensive nine-month rehab and showed on the opening drive that he was willing to trust his repaired knee in live action. The additional reporting says Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee last December, had surgery the next day, and then spent much of the offseason in Kansas City working with the Chiefs’ medical staff. He reportedly put in about seven hours of rehab per day, progressed through throwing, dropbacks, cutting and sprint work, and entered Week 1 with no injury designation and no restrictions. On the touchdown itself, Mahomes escaped the pocket in the red zone and scrambled 15 yards for the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the season. Accounts of the play describe it as a zigzagging run that ended with a dive into the end zone, a sign that he had regained both mobility and confidence. He was also wearing a lightweight brace on his left knee, which he has said does not limit his movement. The play was notable not just physically but psychologically. Mahomes had not taken hits in OTAs, training camp or the preseason, so that first-game scramble showed he was no longer playing cautiously. ESPN’s game report noted his top speed on the run was 15.8 mph, faster than his average speed on rushing attempts last season, underscoring that his movement looked close to normal despite the major surgery.

1 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 15

173 rushing yards and 2 total touchdowns from Kenneth Walker III powered Kansas City's 31-10 opening-night win over Denver, with the free-agent back setting a Patrick Mahomes-era team record.
Robert Griffin III responded by calling Walker "the best addition by any team in the NFL this offseason," amplifying the early hype around the Chiefs' new backfield weapon.
220 rushing yards from Kansas City helped balance an offense that got 184 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception from Mahomes in his return from injury.
The victory also snapped a 10-year drought against the Broncos and came in Eric Bieniemy's return as offensive coordinator, giving the Chiefs an early boost in their push to reclaim the AFC West.

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Yahoo Sports2h ago

Chiefs' Kenneth Walker III Gets "Best Addition" Hype from Robert Griffin III After Record-Setting Performance

Did Kenneth Walker's historic debut just permanently transform the Chiefs into a run-first powerhouse under Eric Bieniemy?

Was Kansas City's defensive dominance a championship statement, or simply the result of a completely broken Denver offense?

How did Patrick Mahomes manage a 15-yard rushing touchdown in his first game back from major knee surgery?

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1 total

Yahoo Sports2h ago

Chiefs' Kenneth Walker III Gets "Best Addition" Hype from Robert Griffin III After Record-Setting Performance

Kenneth Walker III Sparks 'Best Addition' Buzz After 173-Yard Chiefs Debut in 31-10 Win

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