Mike Macdonald Gets Honest About Seahawks Letting Kenneth Walker Leave

The Seattle Seahawks defense dismantled the Kansas City Chiefs offense in a 20-3 victory on Sunday night, capping a dominant defensive effort that held star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and running back Kenneth Walker III to their lowest statistical outputs of the season. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Seattle, improving their record to 4-3 and placing them within two games of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West standings. It marked the highest-scoring margin of victory for Seattle this season, providing a crucial momentum shift after a volatile stretch where they dropped three of their previous four contests by a combined eight points. Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed pride in his squad’s resilience during the postgame press conference, noting that the team found solutions amidst adversity. He described his defensive unit as a group of warriors who deserved recognition for their performance. The defensive pressure resulted in Mahomes completing only 19 passes for 115 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. According to NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno, these figures represented the fewest total yards, first downs, and red-zone drives allowed by Seattle in any start by Mahomes. The Chiefs also scored their fewest points in a Mahomes start, tying a low output for the season. Kenneth Walker III, who earned Super Bowl MVP honors with Seattle in February, faced his former team in a high-profile reunion. Despite entering the game leading the National Football League in rushing yards and yards per carry among players with at least 30 carries, Walker struggled significantly. He carried the ball 14 times for just 36 yards and no touchdowns. His previous lowest rushing total of the season was 70 yards, and he had surpassed 115 yards in four of the Chiefs’ first five games. Walker exited the stadium without acknowledging his former teammates. Macdonald acknowledged the mixed emotions surrounding the matchup, stating that while he loved Walker and valued their relationship, the team’s primary objective was to stop him. On the offensive side, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold delivered one of his stronger performances of the year, throwing for 257 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was instrumental, catching nine passes for 150 yards and a score. Seattle also found success on the ground, rushing 41 times for 153 yards, their second-highest total of the season. Running back Emanuel Wilson gained 100 yards, marking the first time a Seahawk had reached that milestone since Walker achieved it in the Super Bowl. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid accepted full responsibility for the defeat, stating that the team needed to improve on all three phases of play. He indicated that the coaching staff would review the film extensively. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes voiced frustration with the overall performance, describing the outcome negatively. Kicker Harrison Butker missed two field goal attempts, including one in the fourth quarter that would have narrowed the gap to seven points. The Chiefs fall to 5-1 and have now scored fewer than 22 points for the first time this year. They prepare to face the Denver Broncos in Week 8, another potent defensive unit. Seattle will host the Chicago Bears on November 2. The Bears currently hold a 5-2 record and average 30.8 points per game under quarterback Caleb Williams. The upcoming schedule presents immediate tests for both teams as they navigate the latter half of the regular season.