The Seattle Seahawks had a last-minute addition to their injury report on Saturday when running back Kenneth Walker III fell ill. Despite his questionable status, Walker toughed it out and took the field on Sunday, though it was clear he was not feeling his best.
“Yeah, he was sick today, man,” Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith commented, as reported by Brady Henderson of ESPN. “Two touchdowns on his birthday, that was sick.”
Walker showed incredible resilience, fighting through flu-like symptoms to rack up 93 yards and score two touchdowns on 16 touches, all on his special day. The birthday boy himself admitted that he was feeling tired but gave credit to the team’s training staff for helping him stay hydrated.
“I felt like just everything was kind of hard, being sick and everything,” Walker shared. “But we got the dub, so it’s all good.”
After his 20-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, Walker was spent and had no energy left to celebrate. However, he still managed to score a second touchdown with a 17-yard reception from Smith.
Smith praised Walker’s performance, saying, “I thought he did a great job. Obviously, he was under the weather. A little bit of his flu game today on his birthday. I think that’s spectacular. It might be the first time that’s ever happened, but he’s a guy we rely on. The way that he fought and battled it out, I know he wasn’t feeling his best, but to come out and do what he did on his birthday, I thought that was excellent.”
Despite his illness, Walker’s determination and effort on the field were truly commendable, and his teammates recognized and appreciated his contributions to the team’s victory.
