Alvin Mentian Kamara (born July 25, 1995) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Ther ...
for the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football at
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
after transferring from
Hutchinson Community College
Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC or HCC) is a public community college in Hutchinson, Kansas, United States. It serves nearly 5,000 credit students every semester.
History
The college was established in the spring of 1928 as Hutchinson Ju ...
and was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the
2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia ...
. He was named the
NFL Rookie of the Year
Various entities present a National Football League Rookie of the Year Award each season to the top rookie(s) in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL considers the (rookie) of the year awards by the Associated Press (AP) to be its official ...
in 2017, has been a
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
er in all five of his NFL seasons, and is a two-time second-team
All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
. In 2020, Kamara became the second player in NFL history to score six rushing touchdowns in a single game, tying
Ernie Nevers
Ernest Alonzo Nevers (June 11, 1902 – May 3, 1976), sometimes known by the nickname "Big Dog", was an American football and baseball player and football coach. Widely regarded as one of the best football players in the first half of the 20th ...
.
Early life and high school career
Kamara was born to a
Liberian mother. He attended
Norcross High School
Norcross High School is a public high school in Norcross, Georgia, United States, part of the Gwinnett County School System, and serving the cities of Norcross and Peachtree Corners. The school's mascot is the Blue Devil.
The school is also t ...
in
Norcross, Georgia
Norcross is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. The population as of the 2010 census was 9,116, while in 2020 the population was 17,209. It is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metropolitan statistical area.
History
...
. He played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
for the Blue Devils football team. As a junior in 2011 he rushed for 1,300 yards with 17
touchdowns
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
. As a senior in 2012 he rushed for 2,264 yards with 26 touchdowns, and caught 22 passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns in leading his high school to its first state championship.
Kamara was named Georgia’s Mr. Football by the ''
Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', selected Class 6A Player of the Year, and earned first-team All-State honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association. In addition, he was chosen to participate in the 2013
Under Armour All-America Game
The Under Armour High School All-America Game is a high school football all-star game typically held in early January in the U.S. state of Florida created to spotlight the nation’s top high school seniors. The game was first played on Januar ...
.
Coming out of high school, Kamara was considered to be one of the top running back prospects in the nation. He was rated the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 247Composite, the No. 5 player in Georgia, and the No. 42 player nationally in 2012.
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
rated Kamara as the No. 6 player in Georgia.
Kamara received a scholarship offer from
Syracuse University as a junior in high school. As a senior he committed to play college football at the
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...
under head coach
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. (; born October 31, 1951) is an American football coach who has been the head football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007. Saban previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins ...
.
College career
University of Alabama
Kamara's short time at
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...
was "a rough experience".
He had knee surgery during the preseason, then redshirted as a true freshman when he was unable to break into a recruitment class that featured three other future NFL running backs in
Derrick Henry
Derrick Lamar Henry Jr. (born January 4, 1994) is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). His imposing rushing game and larger stature than the average running back earned him the nickna ...
,
T. J. Yeldon
Timothy Antonio "T. J." Yeldon Jr. (born October 2, 1993) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama.
Ear ...
, and
Kenyan Drake
Kenyan Drake (born January 26, 1994) is an American football running back and kick returner for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama. Drake was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the th ...
. Due to "behavioral issues", Saban banned Kamara from practicing with the team and suspended him from their bowl game.
Hutchinson Community College
In 2014, Kamara transferred from Alabama to
Hutchinson Community College
Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC or HCC) is a public community college in Hutchinson, Kansas, United States. It serves nearly 5,000 credit students every semester.
History
The college was established in the spring of 1928 as Hutchinson Ju ...
in
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
for his redshirt freshman season. In nine games, Kamara ran for 1,211 yards (134.6 per game) with 18 touchdowns and led the
Blue Dragons with 1,469 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns. Kamara was named
NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...
All American. His successful season with Blue Dragons propelled Kamara to one of the top JUCO prospects in the nation. He earned a 5-star rating from the Rivals.com and Scout.com recruiting networks. He was offered by both Tennessee and the Georgia Bulldogs before ultimately committing to the Volunteers.
University of Tennessee
2015 season
In 2015, Kamara transferred to the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state ...
to play under head coach
Butch Jones
Lyle Allen "Butch" Jones Jr. (born January 17, 1968) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach at Arkansas State University. Jones previously served as a special assistant to the head coach and offensive analyst at the Univ ...
. As a redshirt sophomore, Kamara played in all 13 games and shared the backfield with
Jalen Hurd
Jalen Tyler Hurd (born January 23, 1996) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee for three years and Baylor for one year.
Early years
Hurd played football at Beech Senior High Sch ...
and
John Kelly. He accounted for 144 yards and two touchdowns in his Tennessee debut against
Bowling Green
A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls.
Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep ...
at
Nissan Stadium in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
on September 5, 2015; his 144 rushing yards set a school record for most rushing yards in a debut game. He became the second Volunteer in history with a rushing touchdown and punt return for touchdown in the same game with a two-yard rushing touchdown and a 50-yard punt return touchdown against
Western Carolina. On November 14, against
North Texas
North Texas (also commonly called North Central Texas) is a term used primarily by residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas to describe much of the north central portion of the U.S. state of Texas. Residents of the Dallas–Fort Wo ...
, he had 15 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the home victory. Tennessee finished with a 9–4 record and qualified for the
Outback Bowl
The ReliaQuest Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, usually on New Year's Day. The event has been formerly called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1995 and the Outback Bowl from 1996 to ...
against #12
Northwestern. In the 45–6 victory over the Wildcats, he had 53 rushing yards and a touchdown. In the entire 2015 season, he accounted for 698 yards (53.7 yards/game) with seven rushing touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry, which was third in the SEC. He was second on team in receptions with 34 for 291 yards and three receiving touchdowns. As a punt returner, he had eight returns for 100 yards (12.5 average) with a touchdown.
2016 season
In 2016, Kamara was a key contributor for the Volunteers in his redshirt junior season. The running back personnel was the same as the last season for Kamara. In the
2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol
The Battle at Bristol was an American college football game played at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on Saturday, September 10, 2016, between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. It holds the record ...
, he had six touches for 34 yards and one touchdown in the 45–24 victory over
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
. He started his first career game at running back for the Vols in a 28–19 victory over
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
on September 17. He had 79 all-purpose yards in a 38–28 win against #19
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, including six yards on two carries, 12 yards on one reception and career highs of 61 punt-return yards and six punt returns. He had 138 all-purpose yards, including a receiving touchdown, in a 34–31 win against #25
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. He had a career-best game the following week in a 45–38 2-OT loss against #8
Texas A&M
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
at
Kyle Field
Kyle Field is the American football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, United States. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a permanent con ...
. He rushed for 127 yards and two rushing touchdowns, and had eight receptions for 161 yards and a receiving touchdown. In the loss, Kamara set a school record with 312 all-purpose yards, breaking a mark set by Chuck Webb in 1989. In the next game against #1
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
, he was limited to eight carries for 21 yards but had the Vols' lone touchdown in the 49–10 defeat. He missed some playing time due to being injured.
He returned on November 12 in a 49–36 victory over
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
. Against the Wildcats, he had 10 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns. In the 63–37 victory over
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, he had 55 rushing yards and two more rushing touchdowns. In the regular season finale against
Vanderbilt, he had three total touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving) and 141 scrimmage yards in the 45–34 defeat. In the final game of his collegiate career, he had seven carries for 31 yards and seven receptions for 46 yards in the victory over #24
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
in the
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998. Since 2020, it has been sponsored by TransPerfect and is officially known as the ''TransPer ...
. He finished third in the SEC in touchdowns for the 2016 season.
Following the conclusion of the
2016 season, Kamara decided to forgo his redshirt senior season and enter the
2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia ...
. In his two seasons as a Volunteer, he started in only eight of 24 games due to sharing the backfield with Jalen Hurd, but he amassed almost 2,000 yards from scrimmage and averaged a touchdown per game.
College statistics
Professional career
Kamara achieved the highest
Wonderlic test
The Wonderlic Contemporary Cognitive Ability Test (formerly Wonderlic Personnel Test) is an assessment used to measure the cognitive ability and problem-solving aptitude of prospective employees for a range of occupations. It is a proprietary ...
score of running backs participating in the
NFL Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
that year.
He participated at Tennessee's Pro Day, but chose to only run positional routes, the short shuttle, and three-cone drill with 19 other teammates in front of representatives and scouts from every team. He attended five private workouts and visits held by the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
,
Chicago Bears,
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
,
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, and
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. NFL draft experts and analysts projected him as a second round pick, ranked as either the fourth-best running back (by NFLDraftScout.com,
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
, and NFL analyst
Mike Mayock) in the draft, fifth-best (
Bucky Brooks
William Eldridge "Bucky" Brooks Jr. (born January 22, 1971) is a sportswriter and former professional American football player. He played for five National Football League (NFL) teams in a five-year career, primarily as a kick returner.
Brooks ...
), or seventh-best (by ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
'').
The New Orleans Saints selected Kamara in the third round with the 67th overall pick in the
2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia ...
. He was the second of six Tennessee Volunteers to be selected that year. He was the fifth running back selected. , he also serves as the Saints' emergency quarterback.
2017 season
Kamara split backfield duties with
Mark Ingram II
Mark Valentino Ingram II (born December 21, 1989) is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was the first Alabama player to win the Heis ...
through the 2017 season, with fewer carries but more receptions than his teammate. In the September 11 season opener against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'', Kamara debuted with seven rushes for 18 yards, four receptions for 20 yards, and one kickoff return for 26 yards. In Week 2 against the
New England Patriots, his role in the passing game expanded with three receptions for 51 yards in the 36–20 loss; he also returned three kickoffs, but would return only one more until Week 16 of the season. Kamara scored his first professional touchdown in Week 3 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
.
In Week 4, he had 96 yards from scrimmage, including 10 receptions for 71 yards and a 12-yard touchdown catch.
This was followed by 10 carries for 75 yards in Week 5, and 107 yards from scrimmage in Week 6 against the
Green Bay Packers. After the bye week, Kamara had a touchdown against the
Chicago Bears, and then 68 rushing yards including a 3-yard touchdown, along with 84 receiving yards including a 33-yard touchdown in a breakout victory over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
. During a Week 12 loss to the
Los Angeles Rams, Kamara provided 101 receiving yards and 87 rushing yards including a 74-yard rushing touchdown. He became the first player since
Herschel Walker in 1986 to compile 500 rushing and receiving yards in his first 11 career games, and was the first non-quarterback to average over 7.0 yards per carry through 12 weeks since the merger. In Week 13, Kamara rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns and caught 5 passes for 66 yards,
becoming the fourth 600/600 rookie in NFL history, and tying
Todd Gurley
Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Georgia, where he re ...
for the league lead in total touchdowns with 11. On the first drive of the Week 13 match-up with
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Kamara suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the game. He returned the next week with 44 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards and a touchdown against the
Jets. On December 19, 2017, Kamara was named to the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
as a rookie alongside Mark Ingram II, becoming the first-ever pair of running backs from the same team to earn the honors. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. After 32 rushing with 58 receiving yards in a Week 16 win over the
Atlanta Falcons in the season finale, Kamara had a 106-yard kick return for a touchdown, 44 rushing yards and another touchdown, and 84 receiving yards.
In 2017, his 728 yards rushing and 826 yards receiving was the first 700/700 season by a Saint, third by an NFL rookie, and the 11th 700/800 season by any NFL player. His 728 rushing yards finished third among rookies behind rushing leader
Kareem Hunt
Kareem AJ Hunt (born August 6, 1995) is an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Toledo and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the ...
and
Leonard Fournette. His 81 receptions on the season were first among all rookies and second in the league among running backs behind
Le'Veon Bell
Le'Veon Andrew Bell Sr. ( ; born February 18, 1992) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted 48th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 20 ...
, and his 826 receiving yards finished first among running backs. Kamara and Ingram became the first running back duo in NFL history to each have over 1,500 scrimmage yards in the same season. Among non-quarterbacks with 100+ carries, his 6.07 yards per rush was the most ever by an NFL rookie. It also was the most ever by any Saints player, and the third most by any NFL player since 1980, trailing only
Jamaal Charles
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third ro ...
(6.38 in 2010) and
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL), from 1989 to 1998 for the Detroit Lions. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and ...
(6.13 in 1997).
In 2017, the Saints finished with an 11–5 record and won the
NFC South. In the
Wild Card Round against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Kamara had 23 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and one reception for 10 yards in the 31–26 victory. In the
Divisional Round against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, he had a 14-yard receiving touchdown from
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
in the fourth quarter to put the Saints up 21–20. However, the Saints would lose to the Vikings by a score of
29–24 on the last play of the game. After a spectacular rookie season, Kamara was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl and All-Rookie Team. He was ranked #20 by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
2018 season
With teammate Mark Ingram II suspended for the first four games of the regular season, Kamara started the 2018 season as the Saints' main running back. In the season opener, a 48–40 loss to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Kamara had eight carries for 29 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with nine receptions for 112 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. After 99 total yards against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
in Week 2, Kamara had 66 yards rushing to go with a career-best 124 yards receiving on 15 receptions in Week 3 against the
Atlanta Falcons. The following week against the
New York Giants, Kamara had career-bests in carries (19), rushing yards (134) and rushing touchdowns (3) along with 47 receiving yards to take the NFL lead in total and rushing touchdowns, yards from scrimmage, and all-purpose yards. With his Week 4 performance, Kamara became the first player in NFL history to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in his first 20 games. Ingram returned from suspension for Week 5 against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
and Kamara totaled 39 scrimmage yards in the 43–19 victory. In Week 8, against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, he had 76 scrimmage yards to go along with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the 30–20 victory. In a Week 9 45–35 victory over the
Los Angeles Rams, Kamara scored three total touchdowns in the first half (two rushing and one receiving). He finished the game with 116 scrimmage yards. In Week 10, against the
Cincinnati Bengals, he had 102 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 51–14 victory. In Week 15, a narrow 12–9 victory over the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Kamara had the Saints' lone touchdown on a 16-yard rush. During Week 16 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Kamara scored two rushing touchdowns in the 31–28 victory. He tied the franchise record for most touchdowns in a single season. Kamara sat out Week 17 with the Saints having already clinched the first seed for the NFC playoffs. Overall, he finished his second professional season with 883 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns to go along with 81 receptions for 709 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl for his accomplishments in the 2018 season.
In the
Divisional Round against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, Kamara had 16 carries for 71 rushing yards and four receptions for 35 receiving yards in the 20–14 victory. In the
NFC Championship
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semi-final National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Amer ...
, he had eight carries for 15 rushing yards in addition to 11 receptions for 96 receiving yards in the 26–23 controversial overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was ranked 14th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2019
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2019 was the ninth season in the series. It premiered on July 22, 2019 and the final episode aired on July 31, 2019. It started later in the year, and the show was shown in 10 consecutive days instead. Los Angeles Rams ...
.
2019 season
During the season-opener against the
Houston Texans on ''Monday Night Football'', Kamara had 169 scrimmage yards in the Saints' 30–28 victory. Two weeks later against the
Seattle Seahawks, Kamara had 161 scrimmage yards, a rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown in the 33–27 win. During Week 5 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Kamara had 16 carries for 62 rushing yards and caught six passes for 42 receiving yards in the 31–24 win. During Weeks 6 and 7, Kamara began battling injuries to his ankle and knee, causing him to miss two games in Weeks 7 and 8, but he returned in Week 10 following a Week 9 bye. In Week 16 against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
, Kamara rushed 11 times for 80 yards and two rushing touchdowns and caught six passes for 30 receiving yards during the 38–28 win. In the following week's game against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Kamara rushed for two touchdowns during the 42–10 win in Week 17. Overall, Kamara finished with 797 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with 81 receptions for 533 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. He made his third Pro Bowl in as many professional seasons. In the
NFC Wild Card Round against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, Kamara had seven carries for 21 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown and caught eight passes for 34 receiving yards during the 26–20 overtime loss.
2020 season
The day before the Saints’ 2020 season opener Kamara signed a five-year contract extension worth $75 million.
In Week 1 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Kamara had a rushing and a receiving touchdown during the 34–23 win. In a Week 2 game against the
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...
on ''Monday Night Football'', he had 174 scrimmage yards (79 rushing, 95 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns including the first ever touchdown scored in
Allegiant Stadium and the first ever NFL touchdown scored in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
in the 34–24 loss. During ''Sunday Night Football'' against the
Green Bay Packers in Week 3, Kamara finished with 58 rushing yards, 139 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns as the Saints lost by a score of 30–37.
In Week 7 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Kamara finished with 148 scrimmage yards during the 27–24 win. In Week 8, against the
Chicago Bears, he had 163 scrimmage yards in the 26–23 overtime victory. In Week 10, against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, he had 98 scrimmage yards, two rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown in the 27–13 victory.
On Christmas Day, 2020, Kamara rushed for 155 yards in a 52–33 victory over the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
and tied the NFL record of six rushing touchdowns in a single game.
For his Week 16 performance, Kamara was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Kamara was forced to miss Week 17 against the Panthers due to being placed on the reserve/
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
list on January 1, 2021. Overall, he finished the 2020 regular season with 187 carries for 932 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns to go along with 83 receptions for 756 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. His 16 rushing touchdowns tied him with Dalvin Cook for second-most in the NFL, trailing only Derrick Henry's 17 touchdowns. Kamara became the first player in NFL history to record at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons. He earned votes for AP Offensive Player of the Year, but finished sixth. He made his fourth Pro Bowl for his achievements in the 2020 season.
Kamara was activated from the COVID-19 list on January 9, 2021. In the Wild Card Round against the Chicago Bears, Kamara rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 17 yards during the 21–9 win. In the Divisional Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kamara recorded 105 yards from scrimmage during the 30–20 loss.
2021 season
![Alvin Kamara 2021 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Alvin_Kamara_2021_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In Week 6, Kamara had 10 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown, along with 51 rushing yards, in a 13–10 win over the
Seattle Seahawks, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In the game, Kamara also reached 3,000 receiving yards in his career, becoming the fastest player in NFL history to reach 3,000 yards in both receiving and rushing. The previous record was 70 games, held by
Roger Craig, while Kamara achieved the feat in 66 games. In Week 14, after missing the previous four games due to injury, Kamara returned with 27 rushes for 120 yards and a touchdown along with four receptions for 25 yards in a 30–9 win over the
New York Jets. He closed out the regular season with 30 carries for 146 rushing yards in a 30–20 victory over the
Atlanta Falcons. He finished the 2021 season with 240 carries for 898 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 47 receptions for 439 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. In 2021, he earned his fifth Pro Bowl nomination, becoming the first player in franchise history to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of their first five seasons.
2022 season
In Week 5, against the
2022 Seattle Seahawks
The 2022 season was the Seattle Seahawks' 47th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 13th under the head coach/general manager tandem of Pete Carroll and John Schneider.
For the first time since 2010, quarterback Russell Wilson an ...
, Kamara had 103 rushing yards and 91 receiving yards in the 39–32 victory. In Weeks 6–7, Kamara recorded over 100 scrimmage yards in both games against the
Cincinnati Bengals and
Arizona Cardinals. In Week 8, against the
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...
, he had 158 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns in the 24–0 victory.
NFL career statistics
Personal life
Business ventures
Kamara owns the Big Squeezy, a Louisiana-based juice and smoothie chain with locations in
Baton Rouge,
Hammond,
Mandeville, and New Orleans. In February 2021, the chain sponsored
NASCAR Xfinity Series driver
Ryan Vargas
Ryan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
*Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
Places Australia
* Division of Ryan, an electo ...
and his No. 6
JD Motorsports
JD Motorsports, is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It is owned and operated by Johnny Davis. It currently fields two Chevrolet Camaro SS teams: The No. 4 for Bayley Currey and ...
car in the
Super Start Batteries 188 at the
Daytona International Speedway Road Course.
On June 20, 2021,
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
named Kamara as the Growth and Engagement Advisor. He became interested in the sport the previous year when NASCAR and its drivers participated in racial justice activism such as the sanctioning body's
ban of the Confederate battle flag from race tracks and
Bubba Wallace
William Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. (born October 8, 1993) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity S ...
's
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police br ...
-themed car.
Legal issues
On February 6, 2022, following the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Kamara was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center for battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. The incident allegedly took place at a local nightclub the night prior. Video surveillance shows Kamara punching a man approximately eight times.
References
External links
*
New Orleans Saints bioTennessee Volunteers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamara, Alvin
1995 births
Living people
American people of Liberian descent
People from Norcross, Georgia
Sportspeople from the Atlanta metropolitan area
Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
American football running backs
Norcross High School alumni
Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Hutchinson Blue Dragons football players
Tennessee Volunteers football players
New Orleans Saints players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winners
Prisoners and detainees of Nevada