Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara Bio

Alvin Mentian Kamara is an American professional football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Born on July 25, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia, Kamara has established himself as one of the most dynamic dual-threat running backs in NFL history. He was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 67th overall pick after a collegiate career at the University of Tennessee. Kamara earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 and has been selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls. He became the New Orleans Saints all-time leading rusher in 2024 and holds the franchise record for career touchdowns.

Early Life and Background

Kamara was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to a Liberian mother. He attended Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete. During his junior year in 2011, Kamara rushed for 1,300 yards with 17 touchdowns. As a senior in 2012, he delivered a breakthrough performance, rushing for 2,264 yards with 26 touchdowns while catching 22 passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns. His efforts led Norcross High School to its first state championship, where he scored two touchdowns including a 61-yard reception in the 6A title game.

Kamara was recognized as Georgia’s Mr. Football and all-classification player of the year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He earned first-team All-State honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association and was selected to participate in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game. Coming out of high school, he was considered one of the top running back prospects in the nation, rated as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 247Composite, the No. 5 player in Georgia, and the No. 42 player nationally. His recruitment attracted significant attention, with 105 letters from the University of Alabama arriving on the same day, eventually leading him to commit to play for the Crimson Tide under head coach Nick Saban.

Path to Professional Football

Kamara began his college career at the University of Alabama in 2013, redshirting as a true freshman after knee surgery during the preseason. He was unable to break into the lineup alongside future NFL running backs Derrick Henry, T. J. Yeldon, and Kenyan Drake. Due to behavioral issues, Saban banned Kamara from practicing with the team and suspended him from their bowl game, leading him to transfer to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas for the 2014 season.

At Hutchinson Community College, Kamara dominated, running for 1,253 yards with 18 touchdowns in nine games. He led the Blue Dragons with 1,477 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns, earning NJCAA All-American honors. His successful junior college season elevated him to one of the top JUCO prospects in the nation, earning a five-star rating from Rivals.com and Scout.com. He received offers from Tennessee and Georgia before committing to the Volunteers.

At the University of Tennessee from 2015 to 2016, Kamara shared the backfield with Jalen Hurd and John Kelly. In his debut against Bowling Green on September 5, 2015, he set a school record with 144 rushing yards. He became the second Volunteer in history with both a rushing touchdown and punt return for touchdown in the same game. During the 2016 season, Kamara set a school record with 312 all-purpose yards against Texas A&M, breaking a mark set by Chuck Webb in 1989. In two seasons as a Volunteer, he started in only eight of 24 games but amassed nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage and averaged a touchdown per game.

Alvin Kamara Career

Rookie Season (2017)

The New Orleans Saints selected Kamara in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He split backfield duties with Mark Ingram II throughout his rookie season, excelling as a receiver out of the backfield. In his NFL debut against the Vikings on Monday Night Football, he recorded seven rushes for 18 yards, four receptions for 20 yards, and one kickoff return for 26 yards. During a Week 12 game against the Los Angeles Rams, Kamara became the first player since Herschel Walker in 1986 to compile 500 rushing and receiving yards in his first 11 career games.

Kamara finished his rookie season with 728 rushing yards and 826 receiving yards, becoming the first player in Saints history to achieve a 700/700 season. He 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-plus carries, his 6.07 yards per rush was the most ever by an NFL rookie. The Saints finished 11-5 and won the NFC South, advancing to the Divisional Round. Kamara earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was named to the Pro Bowl, and received Second-team All-Pro honors.

Saints Breakthrough (2018–2021)

With Mark Ingram suspended for the first four games of 2018, Kamara emerged as the Saints primary running back. During Week 4 against the New York Giants, he set career highs with 19 carries, 134 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns, becoming the first player in NFL history to have 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in his first 20 games. He finished the season with 883 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with 709 receiving yards and four touchdowns, earning his second Pro Bowl selection.

In 2019, Kamara appeared in 14 games with nine starts, recording 797 rushing yards and five touchdowns plus 533 receiving yards and a touchdown. He earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod. The 2020 season marked his greatest statistical year. On Christmas Day 2020, he rushed for 155 yards and tied the NFL record with six rushing touchdowns in a single game against the Minnesota Vikings, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He became the first player in NFL history to record at least 500 rushing and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons. His 21 total touchdowns led the NFL that year.

The 2021 season saw Kamara earn his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection, becoming the first player in franchise history to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons. He reached 3,000 career rushing and receiving yards faster than any player in NFL history, accomplishing the feat in 66 games compared to Roger Craig’s previous record of 70 games.

New Orleans Saints Era (2022–Present)

Kamara continued as the centerpiece of the Saints offense through 2022 and 2023, though a three-game suspension to start 2023 due to a personal conduct policy violation limited his early production. Upon returning, he scored his 73rd career touchdown in Week 6 against the Patriots, surpassing Marques Colston to become the Saints all-time touchdown leader. He also became the franchise’s first player to record 10,000 all-purpose yards.

In 2024, Kamara signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension in October. He delivered an outstanding performance in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, totaling 180 scrimmage yards with three rushing and one receiving touchdown, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He surpassed Mark Ingram to become the Saints all-time leading rusher in Week 10 against the Falcons, solidifying his place in franchise history.

Driving Style and Strengths

Kamara is renowned for his exceptional combination of speed, agility, and receiving ability. His vision and patience allow him to identify running lanes quickly, while his elusiveness in the open field makes him a constant threat to break big plays. His proficiency as a receiver out of the backfield gives the Saints a versatile weapon in the passing game, and his ability to line up in various positions creates mismatches against opposing defenses. His low center of gravity and balance enable him to break tackles and gain yards after contact consistently.

Notable Events and Milestones

Kamara’s historic Christmas Day 2020 performance, when he tied the NFL single-game rushing touchdown record with six scores against the Vikings, stands as one of the most dominant individual performances in league history. His rapid ascent to becoming the Saints all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer in just eight seasons highlights his sustained excellence. His record-setting start to his career, including becoming the fastest player to reach 1,000 rushing and receiving yards, demonstrates his unique dual-threat capabilities.

Alvin Kamara Career Statistics

Kamara has accumulated impressive career totals across nine NFL seasons with the Saints. His combination of rushing and receiving production makes him one of the most complete running backs in modern NFL history. His consistent Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors reflect his sustained elite performance at the running back position.

NFL Career Highlights

Through the 2025 NFL season, Kamara has recorded 7,250 career rushing yards with 61 touchdowns on the ground, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He has added 606 career receptions for 4,948 receiving yards and 25 receiving touchdowns. His career totals include over 12,000 scrimmage yards and 86 total touchdowns. He earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017, Second-team All-Pro honors twice, and Pro Bowl selections in each of his first five seasons.

College Career Notes

At Tennessee, Kamara rushed for 698 yards with seven touchdowns in 2015 and 1,187 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2016, averaging an impressive 6.5 yards per carry in his junior season. He finished third in the SEC in touchdowns during his final college season. His 312 all-purpose yards against Texas A&M in 2016 set a school record that still stands.

Family

Personal Life

Kamara was born to a Liberian mother, and family background details remain relatively private despite his public profile. He launched Big Squeezy, a Louisiana-based juice and smoothie chain with locations across the state including Baton Rouge, Hammond, Mandeville, and New Orleans. In June 2021, NASCAR named Kamara as Growth and Engagement Advisor, reflecting his growing business interests beyond football.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 NFL season saw Kamara battle injuries throughout the year. He recorded two games with over 100 scrimmage yards, against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 and against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10. However, a MCL sprain suffered in Week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons forced him to miss the final six games of the season. Kamara finished the year with 131 carries for 471 yards and one touchdown, paired with 33 receptions for 186 yards across 11 total appearances. Despite the injury-shortened campaign, his career trajectory remains strong as he continues his tenure with the Saints organization.