While the Kansas City Chiefs have lost a plethora of players on the defensive side of the football, first trading Trent McDuffie and then losing the likes of Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook in free agency, they at least made an upgrade on offense on Monday, signing running back Kenneth Walker III to a three-year deal worth up to $45 million, with $28.7 million in guaranteed money.
Taken by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2022 draft at No. 41 overall, the Michigan State alum made an immediate impact, rushing for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns en route to taking second place in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, barely losing a close race to New York Jets wideout Garrett Wilson.
Walker wasn't quite as productive over the next two years, but he bounced back with a solid 2025 campaign, rushing for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season before truly turning it on in the playoffs, a three-game stretch that ultimately ended with him winning Super Bowl 60 MVP after rushing for 135 yards and adding another 26 on two receptions in the Seahawks' dominant 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots.
Now, it's not often that a player leaves in free agency directly after winning Super Bowl MVP. In fact, Walker is the first in nearly a quarter-century and just the fourth ever to do so.
Kenneth Walker III is just the fourth player to leave in free agency directly after winning Super Bowl MVP
Here's a quick look at the other three players who left the team with which they won the Lombardi Trophy after taking MVP honors in the Super Bowl.
Larry Brown, Super Bowl 30 MVP: Left Cowboys for Raiders
After recording a career-high six interceptions during the 1995 season, two of which he returned for touchdowns, cornerback Larry Brown notched a pair of picks to earn Most Valuable Player honors for the Dallas Cowboys in their 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 30.
Brown used that success to secure a five-year, $12.5 million contract with the then-Oakland Raiders, which was a very lucrative deal for a corner at the time. But his time wearing the Silver & Black didn't go very well, as he only appeared in a dozen games for the Raiders over two seasons before being waived.
Brown signed with the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the 1998 campaign but was released ahead of the regular season with an injury settlement, at which point he returned to the Cowboys for one final year before retiring.
Desmond Howard, Super Bowl 31 MVP: Left Packers for Raiders
One year after Brown's heroics, return specialist Desmond Howard earned MVP honors for the Green Bay Packers in a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 31.
Signed by the Packers to a one-year deal for the 1996 season, the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner led the NFL in punt returns (58), punt return yards (875), punt return average (15.1), and punt return touchdowns (3), while also gaining 460 kickoff return yards.
Against the Patriots, Howard returned a total of 10 kicks (four kickoffs, six punts) for 244 yards, none bigger than the 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter that ultimately proved to be the final score of the game.
Like Brown, Howard used his success to sign with the Raiders, spending two years in Oakland before returning to Green Bay in 1999. He was traded during that 1999 season to the Detroit Lions and spent the final three and a half years of his career in the Motor City.
Dexter Jackson, Super Bowl 37 MVP: Left Buccaneers for Cardinals
Before Walker, the last player to leave in free agency after winning Super Bowl MVP was safety Dexter Jackson, who took the honor in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 48-21 victory over the Raiders (yeah, they're all over this thing) in Super Bowl 37.
Jackson was responsible for two of the Bucs' five interceptions of Raiders QB Rich Gannon that night and became just the third defensive back to win the award. He left Tampa Bay to sign with the Arizona Cardinals but returned after just one season away.
After two more years with the Bucs, he ended his NFL career with a three-year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals before truly ending his career playing one season with the UFL's Florida Tuskers.