Category: Alvin Kamara

Darren Rizzi says making Alvin Kamara a captain was ‘the right thing to do’

Darren Rizzi made the call to name Alvin Kamara a New Orleans Saints team captain, and he says it was far from a difficult decision.:

When news broke last week that Alvin Kamara would be a New Orleans Saints team captain for the remainder of the season, it was easy to wonder why he wasn’t already a captain. He’s one of the faces and biggest leaders on the team. The veteran running back being a captain feels like a no brainer, and interim head coach Darren Rizzi agrees.

It was Rizzi’s call, and it wasn’t a hard one to make. He explained Kamara has been “acting like a captain, practicing like a captain, playing like a captain so why not make him a captain?” All of these points seem like common sense.

“Alvin’s presented great leadership all year,” Rizzi further explained. What Kamara means to the city and organization made this “the right thing to do.”

The cherry on top was how Kamara bought in after the coaching change. To Rizzi, “Alvin Kamara might have been the guy who bought in the most.” That’s the type of move that resonates throughout the locker room. It made an easy decision easier.

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WATCH: Darren Rizzi presents Alvin Kamara with a Week 10 game ball

Darren Rizzi handed a game ball to running back Alvin Kamara following their win over the Falcons. The Saints’ newest team captain played a big part in Week 10:


Darren Rizzi garnered plenty of praise for the way he seemed to instantly turn things around for the New Orleans Saints as he helped take down the division-leading Atlanta Falcons, 20-17 on Sunday.

The Saints were major underdogs and pulled off perhaps the biggest “upset” of the weekend, but Rizzi did not take all of the credit. The coach handed off the game ball to star running back Alvin Kamara, who has been one of the most essential players to the New Orleans offense, but did have some off moments in the victory.

A potential walk-in touchdown reception that slipped right through his hands was something Kamara noted after the game was one of the “lamest” things he has ever done.

The moment between Rizzi and Kamara can be seen here.

Kamara finished out the game with 55 rushing yards on 17 carries, playing an almost exactly equal role in the receiving aspect of the contest as he reeled in five receptions for 54 yards. He did not have a touchdown (outside of the one that almost was), but was a key cog in pulling this one off.

He now totals 715 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 167 carries, tallying 421 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air on 51 receptions. Kamara has been targeted in the passing game 69 times.

With the Saints looking like a competitive team for the first time in months, Kamara and Co. have a chance to stay in stride with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns set for Sunday next on the schedule.

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WATCH: Alvin Kamara breaks the all-time Saints rushing yards record

WATCH: New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara breaks the all-time franchise record for rushing yards

The New Orleans Saints have a new franchise leader in all-time rushing yards, and it is Alvin Kamara. Kamara came into the Week 10 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons only 12 yards away from taking the record away from his former teammate Mark Ingram, and on the first two rushes of the game was able to accrue over that amount to take it for himself.

Kamara has previously set the franchise record for rushing touchdowns and attempts, and is nearing the top five in receiving yards for the Saints where he is only 205 yards behind Jimmy Graham for sixth place. Now he accrues one more record for his long-list of achievements, and will continue to build the gap in the coming years.

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Alvin Kamara receives a new title for the rest of the season

Alvin Kamara wasn’t a team captain for the New Orleans Saints this year, but Darren Rizzi changed that ahead of his debut as head coach:

This may surprise some, but Alvin Kamara wasn’t one of the New Orleans Saints’ team captains to start the 2024 season. He’s undoubtedly one of the Saints’ biggest leaders. He just didn’t have the title of captain until Saturday. He will now be named a captain for the remainder of the season.

Kamara has been a captain in the past, but he didn’t possess that title this season. It’s rare you ever see captains change in the middle of a season, but moving on from Dennis Allen gives the team a bit of a reset.

Darren Rizzi hasn’t been the interim head coach for even a week, but he’s already making a boatload of changes. His changes to the locker room layout and the speed of practice are the biggest changes he’s made. Kamara becoming a captain feels the most appropriate.

So far, Kamara has a new contract and a new title. The last month has been kind to him

Alvin Kamara credits former teammate who chose to ‘show me the way’

As Alvin Kamara prepares to pass Mark Ingram II as the Saints’ all-time leading rusher, he reflected on how much Ingram means to him:

Barring anything unforeseen, Alvin Kamara will be the New Orleans Saints all-time leading rusher by Monday morning.

The team won’t have to try hard to get him the record. If the past two weeks are any indication, Kamara will cross that threshold on his first carry. He opened the last two games with runs of 20 or more yards.

Kamara’s only 12 yards away from toppling Mark Ingram II’s record set in 2021. He said his former teammate told him after last week’s game, “Good thing you can break it at home.” It’s something Ingram didn’t have the chance to do. He finished a home game against the Falcons just short of the record. Kamara will break the record against the Falcons at home.

The duo were teammates in 2017 and 2018 then again in 2021 and 2022. Their joint interviews were some of that era’s highlights.

Their friendship remains strong even after Ingram’s retirement, and Kamara spoke about how much Ingram meant to his career.

Kamara gives a lot of credit to Ingram for helping him become the player and professional he is today. “That was my example. Thank God he was in my room. I had an example right there, right next to me to guide me and show me the way.”

Fast forward seven years and Kamara has the opportunity to take down Ingram’s example:  “It’s definitely a full circle moment because I came in, young buck. He gave everything to me, poured into me.”

The two leading rushers in Saints history shared the backfield for four seasons. That’s the definition of passing the torch.

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The details are in on Alvin Kamara’s new Saints contract

The details are in on Alvin Kamara’s New Orleans Saints contract extension. The Saints saved salary cap space, and he got security in a win-win deal:

The details are in on Alvin Kamara’s New Orleans Saints contract extension. The Saints saved salary cap space, and Kamara got security in a win-win deal that should please both sides. So how did it work out?

Per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, the Saints did free up a little salary cap space for the rest of the 2024 season — totaling $2.5 million, which puts them  under the cap by $4.2 million. That may not be enough to make a big move at next week’s NFL trade deadline but it will prevent cap compliance from being an issue through the rest of the year.

The real savings kick in next year. Kamara was set to count $29 million against the 2025 salary cap, but since that money was not guaranteed he could have been cut to save $25 million. Instead, they re-signed him and set his new 2025 cap number at $10.1 million. That saved $18.9 million against next year’s spending limit while keeping one of the team’s best players in the fold.

What about after that? Kamara is now signed through 2026, where his salary cap hit climbs back up to $18.6 million. A restructure could be possible at that point or they could let him play him out for a relatively clean break in 2027. If Kamara calls it a career at that point his deal would void and leave behind just $8.1 million in dead money. For context, that would be about 3.1% of this year’s salary cap, and the cap is expected to keep rising between now and then.

Paying running backs isn’t exactly in vogue these days, but Kamara is one of the stars whose team hasn’t regretting extending him. The team’s all-time scoring leader is closing in quickly on the franchise rushing title, too, and there’s no telling how high he could climb if things improve around him. What’s important is he’ll get to finish his career where it started and keep helping the Saints as they work to return to the playoffs.

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Alvin Kamara puts pen to paper on his new Saints contract extension

Alvin Kamara put pen to paper on his new Saints contract extension, emphasizing how it feels to have his loyalty reciprocated:

It’s been a big week for Alvin Kamara. The New Orleans Saints running back signed a two-year contract extension tying him to the team through 2026, giving him the opportunity to finish his career with the team that drafted  him. And for Kamara, it was great to see the loyalty he’s expressed be reciprocated.

“This city has been loyal to me. This organization has been loyal to me. I don’t feel like I would get this same feeling I get putting on the fleur-de-lis anywhere else,” Kamara told reporters this week.

Kamara did everything he could to emphasize his loyalty to the team by working hard every day at training camp (and not holding out), being a good leader and positive locker room influence, and even playing through injury.  And his efforts were recognized. Saints head coach Dennis Allen praised Kamara’s approach throughout the process.

“I think he handled it the right way,” Allen said. “He has been very productive for us and this year, he has been outstanding for us. He’s come in every day and gone to work, done the things we’ve asked him to do, so when you do those things you get rewarded.”

Now the five-time Pro Bowler gets to finish his career in black and gold. Kamara turned 29 in July and he has the rest of 2024, all of 2025 and a penultimate 2026 season to continue building his legacy. Will he keep going after that? We’ll see. But for now, this is a win for him. No wonder he was all smiles when signing his contract.

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Alvin Kamara credits a secret superstar for managing recent injuries

Alvin Kamara hasn’t missed a game despite dealing with several injuries, including a broken hand. Kamara gives all the credit to his secret superstar

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has dealt with a few injuries already through the first half of the season. The notable injuries are related to his hip and ribs. On Wednesday, Kamara revealed more details on another ailment that’s been listed on the injury report. The running back broke his hand earlier this season and has been dealing with it since Week 5 per NewOrleansFootball’s Nick Underhill.

Kamara credits his physical therapist Jose Tienda for the ability to make these injuries manageable. Kamara nicknamed him Mr. Miyagi and gives him high praise. “He can’t heal bones, but he gets close. We come in every week and we kind of just assess where everything is at and we come up with a plan. Like, by Sunday we have to get to this percent.”

That plan didn’t change when Kamara came to Tienda with a broken hand. Tienda’s thought process remained that Kamara could reach a certain percentage by Sunday to still be effective. The injury happened on a Monday night game, and Kamara was still good to go on a short week.

As Kamara deals with these injuries, you may wonder how long he can maintain. There’s no concrete answer without a crystal ball, but Kamara says, “as long as I feel I can protect myself on the field, I’m going to go.”

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Early extension saved Saints a ton of money against the 2025 salary cap

An early extension with Alvin Kamara saved the Saints a ton of money against the 2025 salary cap. Next year’s cap gymnastics just got easier:

Now that’s some crafty accounting, but we’ve come to expect it from the New Orleans Saints. Alvin Kamara reached an agreement on a two-year extension with the Saints this week, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the move is saving the team some money when it comes to the 2025 salary cap. Kamara’s early extension opened up about $18 million in savings on next year’s spending limit.

So how did the Saints manage to pay Kamara more money while spending less against the cap? We’ll know more when further details are shared about his deal’s structure, but NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill shares that it includes a $15.5 million signing bonus and $22.23 million in guarantees.

Kamara was initially on the books for 2025 at a staggering cap hit north of $29 million, with $25 million of it non-guaranteed, which made him a possible salary cap casualty. Instead, the Saints guaranteed a big portion of it but spread it out as a signing bonus (likely with their signature automatically-voiding “ghost years” tacked on).

The end result? Kamara’s 2025 cap hit should now fall at around $11 million, which is very manageable. And the Saints should now have somewhere close to $324 million in cap liabilities. Depending on where you look the 2025 salary cap is projected to rise to as high as $273 million, though more conservative models put it at just $260 million. The Saints still need to clear  at least $64 million before they can turn to signing new players, but that’s a problem for another day.

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Breaking: Saints, Alvin Kamara agree on a two-year extension

Breaking: Saints, Alvin Kamara agree on a two-year extension

This is big: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms on a two-year extension valued at $24.5 million that puts him under contract through 2026. The deal puts Kamara in position to retire with the team that drafted him out of Tennessee back in 2017, and it puts him on track to continue chasing that spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame he so badly covets.

Garafolo adds that Kamara’s new deal replaces the $25 million in non-guaranteed money he was due in 2025. Instead, he receives $22 million in guarantees with an extra year tacked on. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill confirmed the news, observing that Kamara’s reported average annual value clocks in at about $12.25 million per year, just beneath the $12.5 million Saquon Barkley is earning from the Philadelphia Eagles,

Kamara has already won a host of awards and records in his storied NFL career. The five-time Pro Bowl running back tied a league record for the most touchdowns scored in a single game (6), and he’s also tied with the great Marshall Faulk for the most successful two-point conversions in league history (7). The 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year already owns Saints franchise records for touchdowns scored (85 and counting) and rushing touchdowns (60, with more to come), and he’s closing in quickly on the career rushing yards record set by his close friend Mark Ingram II (he’s 234 yards away). If he can go the distance, it’ll be tough to keep him out of Canton when it’s all said and done.

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