Alvin Kamara didn't need another record to ensure his place in New Orleans Saints lore or solidify his inclusion in the Saints Hall of Fame or Ring of Honor.
But on Sunday, against archrival Atlanta in the Caesars Superdome, the running back added another one anyway.
In the 10th game of the 2024 season and the 111th game of his eight-year NFL career, Kamara became the all-time leading rusher in Saints history. He entered the game 12 yards short of Mark Ingram II's total of 6,500 yards; Kamara's record-breaking carry was a 7-yard run in the first quarter, his second carry of the game.
"I'm just a proud brother," Ingram said. "Alvin is my brother. What he has been able to accomplish throughout his career says a lot about him, his work ethic, his ability to process the game from many different positions, his durability – all those things it takes to be able to accomplish a record like this. I'm just super proud of him. He gets to do it in front of the home crowd against the Dirty Birds, so I think he set it up just nice."
Kamara entered the game as the Saints' all-time leader in touchdowns (85), rushing touchdowns (60), rushing attempts (1,465), yards from scrimmage (11,075), and all-purpose yards (11,739). This season, Kamara had run for 660 yards and six touchdowns on 150 carries and caught 46 passes for 367 yards and a touchdown in the first nine games. He'd topped 100 yards from scrimmage in six games.
"At the end of the day, when you set a record there's going to be someone that comes behind you that's going to be shooting for that," Ingram said. "I'm just glad that it is my fam, it is my brother.
"We've been close since Day 1, we remain close to this day. I've been talking to him throughout the season, I was talking to him (Thursday) night. We just continue to maintain a close relationship. Obviously, I'm proud of him. He's set every other record in the franchise, so it's about time that he just goes ahead and take that rushing yards as well.
"Special time, special time. It's special for him, he should be proud of himself. We're all proud of it for him. He'll probably make sure this record gets out of reach. He's going to break this record and he's going to put it out of reach."
Kamara was the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler who tied the NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a game, when he totaled six against Minnesota on Christmas Day in 2020.
Kamara, a third-round draft choice in 2017 out of Tennessee, has led the Saints in rushing yards every year of his career except 2018.
"We always knew that he was extremely talented, we always knew he had a great football IQ," Ingram said. "You never really know what's in store for anyone, but I knew that he definitely had the talent to accomplish it.
"Just over time, his ability to grow as a player from being a guy who comes out of the backfield and have designed runs that are supposed to hit big, to now running tough and getting tough yards inside, picking up pass protections and just a complete back.
"I think it's a testament to his work ethic, his mind-set, and the way he prepares. Because you really can't do this – you can't run for that many yards, you can't play that many games – without having a plan, without having a routine and being able to stick to those things, be consistent to those things, be true to who you are, continue to improve, don't be complacent.
"Those are pivotal to him being able to have the career that he's had and he's going to continue that."
