KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The spotlight entering Kansas City’s season opener was firmly fixed on Patrick Mahomes and his surgically repaired left knee.
Kenneth Walker III quickly gave everyone something else to talk about.
Making his Chiefs debut, Walker erupted for 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, providing the offensive spark Kansas City needed while Mahomes worked his way back into game form. The performance helped the Chiefs cruise past the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday night and reclaim some bragging rights against the division rival that ended Kansas City’s nine-year reign atop the AFC West.
Walker’s rushing total was the most by a Chiefs player since Jamaal Charles ran for 226 yards against Indianapolis in 2012, one year before Andy Reid took over as Kansas City’s coach. Walker also caught three passes for 18 yards.
“He did a really nice job,” Reid said. “You never know going in how many times you’re going to give him the ball. That’s not a calculated thing. You have to be making yards. For him to play the way he did, I thought was spectacular.”
Mahomes, meanwhile, showed few signs of hesitation.
Wearing a protective brace on his left knee, Mahomes completed his return with 184 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. Most importantly for Kansas City, he looked comfortable moving around nine months after suffering the injury against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mahomes immediately put those concerns to rest when he finished the Chiefs’ opening possession with a 15-yard touchdown run.
“Once you put him in the game,” Reid said, “he’s going to play, and you better be confident in that.”
Mahomes admitted there is still plenty for Kansas City to clean up.
“They were in the AFC championship game for a reason,” Mahomes said of Denver. “For us to go out and win like that, that’s the first step. It shows all the work in training camp paid off. But how can we be better?”
That question may be easier to answer after seeing what Walker can bring to the offense.
The former Seattle standout signed a three-year, $43.05 million contract with Kansas City during free agency after being named the Seahawks’ Super Bowl MVP. He wasted little time making his presence felt, rushing for 89 yards on 14 carries in the opening half.
Denver briefly appeared capable of making things interesting when Bo Nix connected with Evan Engram for a 19-yard touchdown that tied the game. But Walker responded by becoming the centerpiece of an 80-yard, 10-play Kansas City drive late in the second quarter.
The possession ended with Mahomes finding Rashee Rice for a touchdown. Rice, also returning from a knee injury, bounced off multiple Broncos defenders before reaching the end zone and putting Kansas City ahead 14-7 at halftime.
Walker then delivered the play that broke the game open.
Early in the third quarter, facing fourth-and-1, Walker took the handoff, found a crease and bounced outside. Sixty yards later, he was in the end zone.
“I knew they were going to crash in,” Walker said. “When they crashed in, I bounced out, and I was off to the races from there.”
Denver managed a field goal after Brandon Jones intercepted Mahomes deep in Chiefs territory, but Kansas City answered when Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for a 59-yard gain that set up Harrison Butker’s field goal.
The Broncos’ offense never recovered.
Nix lost a fumble on Denver’s next possession, giving Kansas City another opportunity to put the game away. Mahomes took advantage, finding rookie running back Emmett Johnson for a 26-yard gain on third down that moved the Chiefs to the Denver 2-yard line.
What followed was vintage Kansas City creativity.
Mahomes lined up in a three-point stance next to backup quarterback Justin Fields before taking the snap and shoveling the ball to Walker. Walker slipped through untouched for his second touchdown of the night.
The unusual formation was inspired by black-and-white footage from the 1930s that Reid and his coaching staff discovered.
“It was hard to see,” Walker said of the old film. “But we worked it over and over in practice. We felt it was going to work and it did.”
While Walker provided the fireworks, Kansas City’s defense made sure Denver never established an offensive rhythm.
The Broncos finished with just 176 total yards in their first game operating under offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Nix threw for only 131 yards, was intercepted once and lost a fumble.
The poor showing was particularly disappointing after Denver made a major offseason move to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami in a trade involving multiple draft picks.
Waddle was essentially a nonfactor, finishing with one catch for 2 yards. Engram led Denver with four receptions for 43 yards and the Broncos’ only touchdown.
“As a whole offense, a whole team, we just didn’t play really good,” Nix said.
Broncos coach Sean Payton was even more blunt.
“Obviously not a good evening,” Payton said.
For Kansas City, the victory was more than just a strong opening-night performance. It was a statement against a Denver team that had taken the AFC West crown away from the Chiefs and reached the AFC Championship Game last season.
And while Mahomes’ knee was the storyline everyone expected to dominate the night, Walker made sure his arrival in Kansas City became the headline instead.
Swift Chooses Arrowhead
Taylor Swift traded the Emmy Awards for Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night, choosing to support her husband, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Swift, who married Kelce on July 3, watched the game alongside actor Tom Cruise.
The pop superstar had been nominated for an outstanding variety special award for The Eras Tour: The Final Show. The category had already been won earlier this month by The Muppet Show.
Injuries
Broncos: Wide receiver Marvin Mims briefly left the game with a hip injury but returned.
Chiefs: Cornerback Mansoor Delane injured his right shoulder after making an interception on Denver’s third offensive play. The No. 6 overall pick in the NFL draft was helped to the locker room and did not return. Linebacker Cooper McDonald also left during the first half with a knee injury and did not return.
What’s Next:
Denver will return home Sunday to host Jacksonville in its home opener.
Kansas City will remain at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs will host Indianapolis on Sunday night.
