When I asked the Seattle Seahawks organization for a media credential so I could try to catch up with former Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III, I expected the resulting story to be about his feelings about Michigan State, his rookie season with the Seahawks, how his time in East Lansing had prepared him for the NFL, and all that.

I did not expect to document a budding friendship with a Seahawks employee who is currently awaiting his prosthetic leg. But that is indeed what happened.

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Kenneth Walker had just finished helping bring the Seattle Seahawks across the finish line, beating the Los Angeles Rams 19-16, and carrying his team into the playoffs (eventually, after the Lions defeated the Packers later in the evening). He entered the tunnel on his way to the locker room, but made a quick detour to thank the Washington State Patrol officers who were providing tunnel security. After a quick hug and handshake with the officers and his teammate Deejay Dallas, Walker turned back to the tunnel where quarterback Geno Smith was waiting for him.

Smith and Walker had taken advantage of the opportunities the Los Angeles defense had presented them late in the game and pulled out the overtime win, putting themselves on the doorstep of the NFL playoffs. Smith leaned over to embrace Walker and the two had a few moments of conversation before heading towards the locker room.

And, as has now become Walker’s custom for the last six or so home games – before entering the locker room – he veered right to meet up with his new friend, Doug Willson. Willson is a member of the Seahawks' security team and is confined to a wheelchair. The two of them greeted each other like old friends and exchanged words before Walker headed into the locker room and the congratulatory arms of Seattle general manager John Schneider.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Willson after the fact to ask him about his interaction with Walker. Turns out this wasn’t the first time – nor will it likely be the last.

“He’s really kind and he always wishes me the best with my disability,” Willson said. “We both have a passion for football and he just checks in and I let him know that I’m praying for him and I’m just waiting for him to explode. Last week and this week, he popped and he just [went over] 1,000 yards [on the season].”

Their friendship has had a natural progression to it and has now become a habit for Walker.

“It has just kind of morphed into a thing that on his way to the field, he stops, and comes over, gives me a hug, and I give him some encouragement then he goes on and he does it again afterwards,” Willson said. “His commitment to people’s needs and affections is amazing and you don’t see that a lot these days. It’s really been fun. It’s just a natural morph. There’s nothing involved, nothing for it, it’s just two people sharing the same goals and dreams. As my mom says, ‘water seeks its own level’ – people find people and it’s just become a really cool thing.”

Willson likes Walker’s work ethic and the fact that he took a workmanlike approach to building his football career.

“I admire the fact that he went the hard way – he started at Wake Forest and he went to Michigan State and he didn’t go to Michigan – that just says a lot,” said Willson. “He goes to work with his hard hat and his lunch bucket.”

After the rest of the players made their way to the locker room, the doors closed, the music started bumping, and the celebratory cheers filled the air. Walker, who was the 41st pick overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, made his way to the podium to address the media and discuss his team’s overtime thriller.

Afterward, he entered the team’s locker room and finished eating his cup of grapes as he checked his mobile phone, no doubt chock full of well-wishes and congratulatory messages. After all, with his 114 rushing yards, Walker had become only the second rookie in Seahawk franchise history to surpass 1,000 rushing yards on the season.

As he sat there, I asked him some questions about his alma mater, Michigan State, and his rookie season in Seattle. Walker is unassuming, humble, and soft-spoken, and took the time to spend a couple minutes with me.

His favorite memory from his time in East Lansing? The Michigan game, of course. Asked for specifics, he just smiled broadly and said, “The win.”

What does MSU mean to you, Ken, I asked.

“Michigan State means a lot to me,” he replied. “The fans embraced me when I transferred and came in – and my brothers, my teammates, they made it easier for me to transfer from one school to another, and they took me in like a brother – and that meant a lot to me.”

How did the Michigan State coaching staff prepare you for the NFL?

“The coaches saw me in the portal and brought me over,” Walker said. “Coach [Tucker] has been in the league for a minute and he knows a lot about the game. Just taking all the knowledge that Coach Tucker had – just soaked it up.”

During the Seahawks’ bye week, Walker visited East Lansing to take in Michigan State’s game against Indiana and the MSU Athletic Department honored him on the field during a break in the action, to a standing ovation by the Spartan Stadium crowd.

“It meant a lot, to see the fans embrace me and actually cheer for me,” Walker said. “I wasn’t expecting [to be honored during the game] but they put me out there – and it meant a lot.”

Of course, I had to ask Walker about Willson, his new Seahawk security team member friend in the wheelchair.

“It’s great, he supports me and before every game he’s like you’re gonna get 200 [yards],” Walker said with a laugh. “He’s always excited for me to come over there and talk with him; just having that support means a lot to me.”

Asked how their friendship started, Walker said he noticed him cheering for the team and introduced himself.

“I saw him in the tunnel and he was always cheering for us,” he said. “So I went over there and I talked to him and that’s how we started it off.”

This article, that was supposed to be about Kenneth Walker III’s relationship with Michigan State University, ultimately ended up being about his relationship with Doug Willson. So, it seems appropriate to finish it up with an update on Willson and his approach to the difficulties he’s facing.

“A year-and-a-half ago, I was diagnosed with Charcot foot,” he told me via text message today. “My ankle was totally eaten through and my tibia was growing through it. They had me scheduled for surgery immediately to save my leg. It was a total surprise out of left field. Life throws you curveballs. It's best to deal with them with a positive attitude rather than feeling depressed or negative. Kenneth (Walker) is a real positive reminder that life is good. Sometimes we don't know why, but I believe positive can come from a challenge. Kenneth is one of the positives. I feel blessed. I should have my permanent prosthetic within three months. And yes, my favorite restaurant is IHOP. At least for 3 more months, lol.”