Super Bowl 2026: Can the Seahawks’ run game improvement be trusted?

Despite getting a lion's share (Seahawk's share?) of the national media attention, I'm here to boldly claim that Sam Darnold is not the make-or-break performance for the Seattle Seahawks. The offensive line is.

When Darnold is protected, we all know that he can be effective and efficient. When he is pressured, he can get skittish. The lad put up 6 TDs and 6 INTs when under pressure in the regular season with a 69.4 passer rating. The true key here, though, is the run game. That is the variable that determines Super Bowl 60.

As Beast Mode so eloquently argues in the video below, offensive success really just comes down to one thing: run the damn ball.

MARSHAWN LYNCH JUST COOKED RYAN FITZPATRICK ON THE PRIME PREGAME SHOW.

Fitz... let me tell you something... that was whole lot of words... whole lot of nothing"

pic.twitter.com/vZkCe3sI0Y

- MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 19, 2025

Kenneth Walker III's efficacy is a factor in adding an element to Sam Darnold's game as well. When the run game is rolling, offenses can take advantage by dialing up play-action to put defenses in a bind. Darnold has earneda 124.7 passer rating on play-action throws.

It's a good thing that KWIII is putting in work on this run to the title game and has an explosive run rate of 14.9% (playoffs included). That figure is 2nd in the league among any players with 150+ attempts. In his last five games, Walker has averaged 122 yards from scrimmage, 6.4 yards per touch and toted the rock for a touchdown 5 times.

Has it been circumstantial, or have the Hawks figured something out? Here's what some of the players had to say when asked about the progression of the ground attack in recent games, even after losing Zach Charbonnet.

Charles Cross, LT

It's just about playing our game. It's the QB runs, it's taking advantage of the opportunities that are in front of us and just playing together. I feel like the run game is more than just the O-Line, it's the tight ends, and receivers. We've just got to work together.

Grey Zabel, LG

Top to bottom, I think, the coaches just understanding what type of team we are, what type of run game we want to be, and how we want to attack defenses. Then it's just, as we're growing together, and playing more and more football, we're becoming closer knit, and understanding each other, and we're going to play off blocks and all this stuff. Just continuing to grow, it's huge. Every single game we get together, it's going to be super exciting."

Abraham Lucas, RT

I don't think it's anything spectacular that we're doing. It's just trusting the coaching and continuing to improve and get better. The idea that you have to make a gigantic leap from one week to the next is unrealistic, but credit to the guys that I play next to. Like I've said all season, it's a slow process, and we just keep getting better at it."

A.J. Barner, TE

The run game's such a team stat, and Shid' (Rashid Shaheed) getting us started was the perfect recipe. Great win." Barner goes on to say, It's what we do. I feel people were questioning our run game, but now all things are working together at the perfect time, and that run game travels. Late in the year, it's extremely important, so we're going to keep doing it."

What I truly want to see keep happening is for Walker to keep snatching dudes' ankles.

Kenneth Walker had the NASTIEST JUKE OF THE WHOLE PLAYOFFS! pic.twitter.com/KjhVHwbeJO

- DG Bet (@DGbet_official) February 8, 2026

If you take an optimist's point of view (which surely the players will always take), this surge in rushing productivity can be attributed to continuity and growth. That would be growth of not just the O-line, but also tight ends and wide receivers working in concert to chip away on the ground. It also doesn't hurt that Cross and Jalen Sundell have hit their strides since returning from injury.

Whether you are a Seattle run game truther or not, the New England Patriots will be a stiff test worthy of the question. Those on the Seattle side seem to believe it's something they can now count on. Whether it is dominating with a punishing run game, simply applying the threat of efficient gains or utilizing the backs to present mismatches in the pass game, Walker (and probably, to some extent, backup George Holani) has his part to play.

Presumptive new Raiders coach and current OC, Klint Kubiak had this to say about Kenneth Walker in regard to him being hurt in training camp: there's so much that he can do in the pass game that we weren't really able to rep in training camp ... probably to get as comfortable as I would like to do. But now, this time of year, it's like we're just always trying to find new ways to get him the ball in the passing game as well."

K9 has 256 combined (rushing and receiving) yards in two playoff games this postseason. He is the first Seahawks half back since Marshawn Lynch to put up 100+ scrimmage yards in consecutive playoff games. The New England Patriots, on the other hand, enter play as the 3rd-best run defense in the NFL this year. Something's got to shake.

I ask the Seattle Seahawks team and organization: what you going to do with all that cap? All that cap to build that team. A Maxx Crosby move is a pipe dream that I'm still holding onto. If not that, they should at least keep Ken Walker if he comes in with a plausible figure. Especially if he proves effective on the ground or through the air in the most Super of Bowls.