NFL CAREER – Selected by the Saints in the third round (67th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft, Kamara played in all 16 games and totaled 194 carries for 883 yards (4.6 avg.) and 14 touchdowns, and 81 receptions for 709 yards (8.8 avg.) and four touchdowns for a club-best 1,592 total yards from scrimmage. Selected to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season, he will look to build on an impressive sophomore campaign in his third campaign.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS –Signed to a four-year contract, 6/2/17; Selected by the Saints in the third round (67th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
HONORS – 2018: Pro Bowl; Second-team Pro Football Focus All-Pro (flex position); 2017: Pro Bowl; FedEx Ground Player of the Week (Week Nine); Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week (Weeks 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 17); NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (November); Second-team Associated Press All-Pro (flex position); PFWA All-NFC and All-Rookie; NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (AP and Sports Illustrated); PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year (co-winner); NFL Rookie of the Year (The Sporting News and Pepsi NFL).
2018 – Kamara played in the first 15 games of the season with 13 starts and led the Saints in rushing with 194 carries for 883 yards (4.6 avg.) with 14 touchdowns and finished second on the team in receiving with 82 grabs for 692 yards and four touchdowns. Kamara’s career-high 18 total touchdowns tied a team record and ranked second in the NFL. His 14 rushing touchdowns were a club-best all-time and ranked second in the league. His 1,592 total yards from scrimmage ranked seventh in the NFL. Adding 126 kickoff return yards and 82 punt return yards, he finished sixth in the league with 1,800 all-purpose yards. In the postseason Kamara added 24 carries for 86 yards and 15 receptions for 131 yards. Also returning six kickoffs for 164 yards (27.3 avg.), Kamara’s 381 all-purpose yards were the highest NFL postseason total…In regular season opener vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 9, started and rushed for 29 yards on eight carries, with two rushing TDs and a successful two-point conversion run. In addition, caught nine passes for a career high 112 yards and one TD, setting a new career-high in total TDs (three) and points (20)…Vs. Cleveland, Sept. 16, started and played on special teams. Rushed for a team-high 46 yards on 13 carries and a successful two-point conversion run. In addition, caught six passes for 53 yards, finishing with 100 total yards from scrimmage…At Atlanta, Sept. 23, started and rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries. Also finished with 15 catches for 124 yards (both career-highs). Finished with career high 190 total yards from scrimmage. Returned three punts for 16 yards. Receptions total was tied for second all-time for a running back and the most since Atlanta’s William Andrews in 1981…At N.Y. Giants, Sept. 30, started and carried career-high 19 times for a career-high 134 yards (7.1 avg.) with a career-high-tying three TDs and also added five receptions for 47 yards (9.4 avg.) for 181 total yards from scrimmage, the second straight week he exceeded 180…At Baltimore, Oct. 21, Started and led team in rushing with 64 yards on 17 carries and one TD. Also caught two passes for 11 yards…At Minnesota, Oct. 28, started and rushed 13 times for 45 yards and one TD, recorded seven catches for 31 yards and one TD and returned one punt for 15 yards…Vs. L.A. Rams, Nov. 11, started and finished with 19 carries for 82 yards and four receptions for 34 yards. Kamara tied a career-high with three touchdowns and recorded his third three-touchdown performance of the season, finishing with two rushing TDs and a receiving TD. Scored tenth touchdown of the season on an eight-yard first quarter run, and joins Jimmy Graham (2013-14), Mark Ingram II (2016-17) and Joe Horn (2003-04) as only the third Saint with back-to-back seasons of ten TDs. Kamara was the only Saint to do so in his first two seasons…At Cincinnati, Nov. 11, started and finished with 12 carries for 56 yards and two TDs to go along with four catches for 46 yards. Also returned a punt for two yards…Vs. Philadelphia, Nov. 18, started and finished the game with 71 yards rushing on 13 carries and a 37-yard touchdown catch from Brees. Kamara, who had 826 receiving yards and 728 rushing yards as a rookie, became the fourth player in NFL history with both 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, joining Edgerrin James, Herschel Walker and Abner Haynes. Kamara also set a new career-high for touchdowns with 15, the third-highest single-season total in club history…Vs. Atlanta, Nov. 22, started and finished with a team-high 89 rushing yards on 14 carries, caught a pass for nine yards, and returned a punt for seven yards…At Dallas, Nov. 29, started and finished with a team-high eight receptions tallying 36 yards. Kamara rushed for 36 yards, surpassing his rookie total of 726 rushing yards. Also returned three punts for 17 yards, including a career-long 16-yard return at…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 9, started and rushed for 51 yards on 12 carries to go along with five receptions for 36 receiving yards. Kamara also returned three kickoffs for 76 yards…At Carolina, Dec. 17, started and carried 14 times for 67 yards and one touchdown. He also added 36 receiving yards on seven catches…Vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 23, carried seven times for 23 yards with two touchdowns and caught four passes for 82 yards. With 14 rushing touchdowns in 2018, set the Saints single-season record previously held by RB Deuce McAllister (2002), RB George Rogers (1981) and RB Dalton Hilliard (1989). Kamara also set a new career-high with 18 touchdowns, tying the club record with Hilliard (1989). With 82 receiving yards, Kamara joined Herschel Walker as only the second player in NFL history to have 1,500 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards in his first two seasons. Vs. Carolina, Dec. 30, inactive…Vs. Philadelphia, 1/13/19, started in the NFC Divisional playoff at RB and led the Saints in rushing, finishing with 16 carries for 71 yards, including a 12-yard rush for a first down with 1:03 remaining to seal the victory. Kamara also recorded four receptions for 35 yards…In the NFC Championship, Vs. L.A. Rams, 1/20/19, finished with eight carries for 15 yards, a postseason career-high 11 receptions for a playoff career-best 96 yards and returned a postseason career-high four kickoffs for a playoff career-high 119 yards, including a postseason career-long 34-yard return. 111 total yards from scrimmage and 230 all-purpose yards were both postseason career-bests. 2017 – Kamara played in all 16 games and started in three. He totaled 120 rushes for 728 yards (NFL-best 6.1 avg.) and eight touchdowns, and 81 receptions for 826 yards (10.2 avg.) and five touchdowns and brought back 11 kickoffs for 347 yards with a club-record 106-yard touchdown. Set club receiving yardage record for a running back, club rookie touchdowns record (14) and combined with Ingram for the only RB duo in NFL history each with 1,500 total yards from scrimmage (Ingram-1,540 and Kamara-a team-leading 1,554). In two postseason contests led team with 66 yards rushing and one touchdown and caught five passes for 72 yards with one touchdown, while bringing back two kickoffs for 50 yards…At Minnesota, Sept. 11, carried seven times for 18 yards, had four receptions for 20 yards and returned a kickoff 20 yards…Vs. New England, Sept. 17, carried once for three yards, had three receptions for 51 yards and returned three kickoffs for 71 yards…At Carolina, Sept. 24, carried twice for 37 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown, his first career NFL score and added three receptions for five yards…At Miami in London’s Wembley Stadium, Oct. 1, carried five times for 25 yards, caught 10 passes for 71 yards with a touchdown and returned a kickoff 23 yards…Vs. Detroit, Oct. 15, started and carried 10 times for 75 yards. Added three receptions for 12 yards…At Green Bay, Oct. 22, played on offense and carried nine times for 57 yards and caught five passes for 50 yards…Vs. Chicago, Oct. 29, carried eight times for 28 yards with a TD and caught three passes for 48 yards…Vs. Tampa Bay, Nov. 5, carried ten times for 68 yards with a touchdown and had six receptions for 84 yards, including a 33-yard TD, for career-high two total TDs and game-high 152 total scrimmage yards…At Buffalo, Nov. 12, carried 12 times for 106 yards with a touchdown and added five receptions for 32 yards to finish with a team-high 138 total yards from scrimmage, combining with Ingram to have only the third dual 100-yard rushing game in team history, the first since 2006…Vs Washington, Nov. 19, he finished with eight carries for 42 yards. Also reeled in six catches for 74 yards and a TD. Also rushed for his first career two-point conversion and the first by Saints in 2017 to tie contest…At L.A. Rams, Nov. 26, started in two-RB set and finished with five carries for 87 yards (17.4 avg.), including career-long 74-yard TD and six receptions for career-high 101 yards with one TD for a team season-high and 188 total scrimmage yards. Became first Saints rookie to score a TD in five straight contests and the first player since Walker in 1986 to have both 500 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in his first 11 NFL games. Joined Gale Sayers (1965) as only the second rookie in NFL history with multiple games of 150 scrimmage yards, a rushing TD and a receiving TD and selected NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month…Vs. Carolina, Dec. 3, started and carried nine times for 60 yards with a career-high two rushing touchdowns, career-high tying two total TDs and caught five passes for 66 yards. Joined former Washington WR Charley Taylor (1963) and Detroit RB Billy Sims as only the third rookie in NFL records to record 600 yards rushing and 600 yards receiving…At Atlanta, Dec. 7, carried once for two yards and caught three passes for 25 yards before leaving with concussion…Vs. N.Y. Jets, Dec. 17, finished with 12 carries for 44 yards and six receptions for 45 yards, including a ten-yard touchdown…Vs. Atlanta, Dec. 24, played on offense and special teams and carried 12 times for 32 yards, caught a team-high seven passes for 58 yards and returned two kickoffs for 72 yards…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 31, played on offense and special teams, carrying nine times for 44 yards with a seven-yard touchdown, catching six passes for 84 yards with career-long 40-yard reception and returning four kickoffs for 155 yards, including a 106-yard touchdown return, the longest play in team history. Finished with game-high 128 scrimmage yards and game-high and career-high 283 all-purpose yards…In NFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Carolina, 1/7/18, started and carried ten times for 23 yards with a fourth quarter two-yard touchdown and caught one pass for ten yards…In NFC Divisional Playoff at Minnesota, 1/14/18, carried 11 times for 43 yards, caught four passes for 62 yards and a fourth quarter 14-yard touchdown grab and returned two kickoffs for 50 yards.
COLLEGE – Kamara played in 24 games in two seasons at Tennessee and rushed 210 times for 1,294 yards (6.2 avg.) with 16 touchdowns, caught 74 passes for 683 yards (9.2-average) with seven TDs and brought back a punt for a score. Finished his senior campaign with a team-high 1,188 all-purpose yards (596 rushing, 392 receiving, 184 punt return, 16 kickoff return) and 13 total touchdowns. Tied for third in SEC in touchdowns and ranked seventh in all-purpose yards...312 all-purpose yards at Texas A&M (10/8/16) set a Tennessee record. All-purpose yardage total was the second-most by an FBS player in 2016. Matched career-high with three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving). With 127 yards on career-high 18 carries and 161 yards on career-high eight catches, joined Jamal Lewis (128/105 at Kentucky in 1997) as only two Vols to record 100 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in same game. Added eight punt return yards and a 16-yard kickoff return...Scored on a 16-yard touchdown catch and totaled 138 all-purpose yards in comeback victory at Georgia (10/1/16). Tied career-high with 16 carries for 62 yards, caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown and returned three punts for 50 yards…After transferring from a season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, played in all 13 games with one start in 2015, rushing for 698 yards with seven TDs. Second on squad in receptions (34 for 291 yards and three TDs). As punt returner, eight returns for 100 yards (12.5 avg.) with a TD. 6.5 yards per carry average ranked third in the SEC and tied for eighth with 11 TDs...Gained 151 yards of total offense in regular-season finale win vs. Vanderbilt (11/28/15) with 99 rushing yards and two catches for 52 yards...Ripped off career-long 63 yard rush at Kentucky (10/31/15) as part of 70 rushing yards along with two catches for 13 yards and a 15-yard punt return...Caught two touchdowns as Vols rallied from 24-3 deficit to beat 19th-ranked Georgia (10/10/15), finishing with five catches for 31 yards. Second Vol in school history with a rushing touchdown and punt return for touchdown in same game (other was Stanley Morgan in 1975) with two-yard rushing TD and 50-yard punt return TD vs. Western Carolina (9/19/15); TD for punt return was first return of his career in high school, junior college or college; also ran for 47 yards…Rushed for 144 yards, a UT-record for most rushing yards in a debut and two touchdowns vs Bowling Green (9/5/15)…In 2014, named KJCC Offensive Player of the Year at Hutchinson. In nine games, ran for 1,211 yards with 18 touchdowns…Led team with 1,469 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns. In 2013, he redshirted at Alabama.
PERSONAL – Produced a highlight reel of a 2012 senior season at Norcross (Ga.) HS when he rushed for 2,264 yards and 26 touchdowns (7.5 avg.) and adding 22 receptions for 286 yards and five scores…Earned Georgia Mr. Football honors from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...Class AAAAAA Player of the Year and garnered first-team All-State honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association…Added 1,300 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns as a junior in 2011…Collaborated with QB Drew Brees to take part in an NFL commercial celebrating the league’s 100th season that aired during the Super Bowl LII broadcast…Visited students at Pontchartrain Elementary School in Mandeville in 2018 offseason…Gave the Edna Karr High School football team a pregame speech before their 2017 Louisiana State championship game and gifted head coach Brice Brown two Super Bowl LII tickets…Supports Willie Hall Playground through both donations and mentorship of the organization’s youth…Visited NOCCA with teammates to encourage students who created the featured son ‘Shut ‘Em Down’ for the 2018 Saints-Falcons Thanksgiving game…Alvin Mentian Kamara was born July 25, 1995 in Atlanta, Ga.
