Alvin Kamara goes to Tyrann Mathieu for tips on playing at Tiger Stadium

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara knows he could be playing home games at Tiger Stadium, so he went to LSU product Tyrann Mathieu for tips.

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It’s still a developing situation, but the New Orleans Saints could take their show on the road. They haven’t received clearance from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell to fill the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to partial capacity during the COVID-19 public health crisis, so the Saints are looking into hosting their five remaining home games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

That’s a thought that excites Saints coach Sean Payton. And it’s made superstar Saints running back Alvin Kamara curious. He never played against LSU or visited Tiger Stadium in his two years with the Tennessee Volunteers, so he asked a friend who would know about what to expect from playing on that venue’s grass: Kansas City Chiefs safety and former Tigers standout Tyrann Mathieu.

There’s a big difference between running on the artificial turf at the Superdome versus natural grass, and it’s something Kamara wisely wants to prepare for. He’ll have to wear different cleats and put different punishment on his feet, as will everyone else. So it’s good to know he has a trusted source.

Tiger Stadium is paved with “Celebration Bermuda Grass,” a unique strain among its peers. While Kamara has played on similar Bermuda variants in road games with the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears, no NFL stadium uses this specific grass. In fact, the only other college programs to carpet their football fields with it are North Texas and South Florida.

Payton has been mindful of different playing surfaces in the past; back in 2017, he offered to foot the bill for free pedicures after getting his players to wear longer studs in a game with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Wherever the Saints play their next game (they’ll exit the Week 6 bye with a home matchup against the Carolina Panthers lined up), they’ll take steps to prepare accordingly.

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