The Seattle Seahawks didn’t get a lot from NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday. Turns out, they really didn’t need it.

Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards on 27 carries, had 26 yards on two catches and was named Super Bowl MVP in the Seahawks’ 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Walker performed on the biggest stage in front of family, including his father, Kenneth Walker II, who had never seen him play an NFL game in person.

“My dad, he comes out to Seattle to watch games, but he never goes to the game because he doesn’t like crowds,” Kenneth Walker III told reporters. “So, this is his first NFL game, and we won the Super Bowl, so it means a lot to me and I know he’s proud of me, for real.”

Ken Walker III says this was his dad’s first NFL game. Dad comes to Seattle a lot but typically doesn’t attend because he doesn’t like crowds. But Ken says his agent talked pops into attending the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/0xsPmfJErb

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) February 9, 2026

Walker’s mother, Patricia Jones, and little brother were definitely going to the Super Bowl. When asked if he convinced his father to attend the game, Walker said it wasn’t him.

“My agent convinced him to come out here,” Walker said. “So, I didn’t think he would come. They ended up mic-ing him up and everything, so he got out of his comfort zone.”

Kenneth Walker II saw his son become the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis earned the award for leading the Denver Broncos past the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 32.

Kenneth Walker III had runs of 30, 29 and 10 yards during the Seahawks’ first two scoring drives.

On a night when Smith-Njigba had only four catches for 27 yards and was evaluated for a concussion in the second half, the Seahawks’ defense made the job a lot easier for Walker and quarterback Sam Darnold, forcing three turnovers by Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and stuffing the New England offense for most of the game.

Sixteen members of the media account for 80 percent of the MVP vote and submit their ballots near the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. The remaining 20 percent of is taken from votes by fans on NFL.com.

Walker ran for 1,027 yards during the regular season and added 116 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-6 divisional round victory over the San Francisco 49ers and 62 yards and another score in the 31-27 NFC Championship Game win over the Los Angeles Rams.

He had to shoulder the rushing load mostly by himself after backfield partner Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoff win over the 49ers.

While Walker took home the award, several members of Seattle’s defense turned in MVP-level efforts. Derick Hall and Byron Murphy each sacked Maye twice. Murphy also recovered a fumble, and Uchenna Nwosu scored on a 45-yard pick six to remove all doubt about the outcome in the fourth quarter.