KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kenneth Walker III starred in his Kansas City debut as the Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium. Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP who joined the Chiefs in March, played a central role in the victory.
Walker finished with 26 touches for 191 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, converting four short-yardage situations and turning a fourth-and-inches early in the third quarter into a 60-yard score. He became just the third player since 2000 to rush for at least 100 yards in his Chiefs debut, joining Kareem Hunt (148 yards in 2017) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (138 yards in 2020), according to ESPN Research.
Patrick Mahomes returned from surgery that repaired a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee sustained Dec. 14 and did not need to carry the offense alone. Mahomes scrambled for a 15-yard touchdown on the opening drive and finished with 184 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Next Gen Stats recorded Mahomes’ top speed on the scramble at 15.8 mph, 2.5 mph faster than his average rushing speed last season.
The Chiefs’ defense also played a major role. Kansas City sacked Broncos quarterback Bo Nix four times, and rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane intercepted Nix to set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown. Defensive end R Mason Thomas had a sack and defensive tackle Peter Woods generated pressure on passing downs. Cornerback Nohl Williams limited receiver Courtland Sutton to two catches for 11 yards.
Denver struggled to establish a running game, attempting just 12 rushes, and Nix — who returned after two offseason surgeries to repair a fractured right ankle — threw an interception on the Broncos’ opening drive. Receiver Jaylen Waddle, a notable offseason addition for Denver, was held to one reception for 2 yards. Kansas City’s next game is at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 20.
