“I don’t like parties”: Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III almost quit football but now can’t imagine the offseason without it

Super Bowl LX Most Valuable Player Kenneth Walker III almost quit football in high school after a tiff with his coach. After leaving school, he told his parents he was going to quit. They advised him not to make decisions based on emotion. The next day, he talked to his coach, they sorted it out, and he continued playing. Later, the same coach helped him drive 10 hours to and from Wake Forest University when he was getting recruited there. This dedication meant a lot to Walker. That story came from a recent Reddit video that went viral. Now, another recent video clip shared by MLFootball on X shows a different side of him.An interview clip of Walker at the Seahawks training ground shows him saying, “I don’t like parties and [---], I mean, people can do that if they want, but I like to be out of the way and just grind and chill.” MLFootball captioned the clip: “LOCKED-IN: #Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III does not ever party and during the off-season the only thing he does is train…Walker is a demon.” He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.While other football players choose to explore hobbies, go on never-ending vacations, and party to no extent, Walker wishes to keep improving his game. This trait is also reportedly seen in Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts, who, after winning Super Bowl LIX, approached the next season with the same drive and vigor. However, the results were not entirely in his control [11-6 season record]. But it’s a rare quality found among athletes.Football means a lot to the Super Bowl MVP. Besides a disagreement with his coach, something else kept Walker from his favorite game. The summer before his senior year of high school, he woke up in the middle of the night, struggling to breathe. A rushed trip to the hospital led to a horrifying diagnosis: blood clots in both lungs. This condition put him at serious risk of pulmonary embolism. At the time, doctors firmly told him that returning to play could cost him his life. Treatment, constant medical monitoring, and uncertainty became his new reality. However, his body responded, and with discipline, caution, and belief, he strengthened himself mentally and physically. In 2026, the same running back who nearly gave up on football twice won a Super Bowl and was named Super Bowl MVP, the first running back to do so since 1998. Greatness has a new definition, and so does dedication.