Houston Texans running back Mark Ingram has been with a variety of quarterbacks throughout his career with the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens.
From 2011-18, he played with quarterback Drew Brees, who won a Super Bowl MVP at the end of the 2009 season, and set passing records while with the Saints. Ingram also played with young, dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson with the Ravens, who is as dangerous through the air as he is on the ground.
Ingram hasn’t seen much of Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor up close, as he has been in the AFC for all of his career since the Ravens drafted him in the sixth round in 2011 from Virginia Tech. Even the two seasons when Ingram was with the Ravens, 2019-20, Taylor started just one game in his last two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Nevertheless, Ingram knows Taylor by his reputation, and is enthused to work with him.
“He’s a baller, man,” said Ingram. “He’s just a baller. He’s a guy, he’s a true professional. He’s a winner. He scraps and he’s a fighter. He appreciates the professionalism it takes to be at this level and have a long career. It’s not easy to be in this league for a long time and play quarterback. Every time he gets his opportunity, he helps his team. Every time he gets an opportunity to play, he shows out. You’ve got to respect that.”
The former 2011 Saints first-round pick says he did follow Taylor going back to his playing days at Virginia Tech, and has had an affinity for how he has played the game.
Said Ingram: “As a player, watching him over all these years, even from back in college, I’ve always respected his game. I’ve always respected his approach to the game, his professionalism, his desire to want to get better, his desire to want to win, his desire to want to be the best. Just from afar, I’ve met him a few times. We’ve spoken a number of times, but just from afar, I’ve always admired his game and how he approaches the game.”
Given the drama with franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson, Ingram may get to see more of Taylor in 2021 as the Texans’ starting quarterback.