The Kansas City Chiefs got their first win since Week 6, blowing out the New York Jets at Arrowhead on Sunday. Not only did the Chiefs win, but star running back Kenneth Walker had a big game after back-to-back "disappointing" performances (at least for him).
Walker finished Week 9 against the Jets with 18 carries for 102 yards and a rushing touchdown and also reeled in four catches for 41 yards and two receiving scores. So, in total, he had 143 scrimmage yards and three trips into the end zone. What a get this guy has been for the Chiefs offense!
Walker's total production for the 2026 season so far through eight games is 872 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 172 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. He's been a breath of fresh air for this Chiefs offense.
We've been keeping track of Walker's quest to break Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yards record set in 1984. Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards for the Rams that season, and the record has remained untouched ever since, proving what a difficult feat that was for the Hall of Fame running back.
How far is Kenneth Walker from history after performance vs. Jets?
Last week, it became crystal clear that breaking the record was going to take some video game-like performances from Walker the rest of the way. While Walker did help the Chiefs win this weekend, which is ultimately the most important thing from here on out, his quest to break Dickerson's record still has its fair share of obstacles.
Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards in a season through 16 games. Walker has rushed for 872 yards through eight games. He has nine games remaining in the regular season and would have to rush for 137 yards in each game to tie the record. His average rushing yards per game after Week 9 is 109.
So, yeah, that's going to be tough for Walker to accomplish, even as good as he is. It might not matter that Walker has an extra game to try and break the record. He's going to have to put on some crazy performances in these final nine games if he wants to surpass Dickerson.
The record would be cool but contending is cooler
Obviously, we'd love to see Walker etch his name in the history books, but the more important thing here is that he continues to remain healthy and help the Chiefs win games. Kansas City has not had a running back this good since Patrick Mahomes has been the quarterback, and it's taken a lot of pressure off of him so far.
Walker has been a game-changer for this offense, and now, with Josh Downs also joining the fold, the hope is that the Chiefs can continue to improve offensively and get back into the Super Bowl.
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