New Orleans Saints Running Back Alvin Kamara
Video call with New Orleans Media
Wednesday, November 11, 2020

We ask you guys a lot about Taysom (Hill), and what he brings to the team. Of all the things that he does well, is there one thing specifically that you believe he does better than the others?
"I wouldn't say specifically, but I think it's all encompassing. His toughness, I mean, it's one thing that I think separates him from a lot of guys. I mean, he's the type of dude, he'll run into the wall and get back up and be like alright, what's the next play. He's just very tough, very, very grit. Like, he's got a lot of grit. I mean, he just, he'll do whatever to help us win."

When you saw him pull off the hurdle in the game on Sunday night, it wasn't quite the Kamara hurdle. When you saw him pull off the hurdle, what was the thing that went through your mind? What did you think?
"He's trying to do whatever he can to keep going. Some guys don't have that. But he just, he has the instinct to elevate and get up off the ground, even though he didn't get up too far. He was running in the air. But he just makes plays. He's exciting to watch."

Eight games into the season, where would you say this team, where do you feel like you are? And what are some areas you think you all still need to improve on?
"I think we need to improve everywhere, honestly. I think none of us are, are feeling a sense of complacency. We're not like, oh, we had a good game, so we're good, like, let's just try to recreate that. We're trying to keep ascending, if you're not ascending, you're not doing anything, you're descending. So, trying to keep getting better in all phases, kicking, offense and defense. I think one thing about us, the past (three) years, we've been good, because, we've been great in all phases. And we've been top five, top three in the league in all categories. And that's what we're striving to do. It's getting better and better every week, but we've still got a long way to go to get to where we want to be at."

I was also going to ask you about Taysom (Hill). But what's interesting I think about him is unlike most running backs, he almost gets judged on a carry by carry basis. If he has like a zero yard gain, it's too cute, it's too predictable. What do you think people don't appreciate maybe about how valuable it is to bring in those Taysom (Hill) plays to this offense, even though you have a lot of other proven playmakers?
"Man, it's definitely valuable. Because at the end of the day, people talk about, oh, why are we doing that? Why are we doing this? But, teams still have to stop it. I know when Drew (Brees) lines up at quarterback (there) is a possibility he's going to throw the ball. When Taysom lines up, he can throw the ball, they think he's going to run it, they have to stop both, they have to figure out what to do with him. And it's something that I think it's an asset to our game plan, week in and week out. So, it's just about execution. Negative play, it is what it is, we play football. We have to keep moving. Man, he does a great job, no matter the outcome. But, like I said, he's an asset to our offense."

How do you think the O-line has been playing these last couple weeks, especially? It seems like you have kind of won the games at that spot on the line of scrimmage?
"We go as the O-line goes. So, they've been playing terrific. They've been playing great, guys just doing whatever they have to do, just fighting, keep clawing, scratching. I think (we have) the best O-line in the league, and I just feel like, with us, Drew's (Brees) comfortable back there. He feels he has the protection he needs. When we run the ball, I have all the confidence in the world that, you know, we can get the job done up front. And we can do what we got to do, that being me and Latavius (Murray), just getting the looks we want and you know, getting everything locked up front. Those guys, I don't know if they get enough credit. I'll definitely give them all the kudos and all the praise because, they got a hard job to do. And they do it well every week."

When Mike's (Thomas) out there, do you notice any difference between the way you get covered or the attention you're paid, versus when he's not out there? And do you see it go both ways for you helping him sometimes too with that?
"Yeah, I kind of touched on it last week. I mean, just speaking about Mike. When Mike's (Thomas) out there, they've got to account for him. That's less attention on me or Emmanuel or Jared Cook. So anytime Mike's out there, it opens up the offense and vice versa, when I'm out there, I kind of think I draw some attention too. So it kind of opens up Mike's game too. It's complementary. I think all of our weapons on offense. We're all complementary to each other. Because, teams come in and they want to stop Mike, then okay, we can throw it to Emmanuel (Sanders). They want to stop Emmanuel (Sanders), you can throw it to Jared (Cook). You want to stop Jared (Cook) me and Latavius (Murray) can do what we have to do. We've got Tre'Quan (Smith), you guys have watched it. When we get going the way we want to get going, it's hard to stop."

And then just atmospherically and I guess competitively too, is there a difference with having fans in the Superdome? Have you noticed anything different? Do you guys feed off it? Just how was it the last game?
"Yeah, I mean, anytime we can have fans in the Dome, it's obviously advantageous. And it's a different feel from an empty dome to a dome with 70,000 plus fans or even 5,000, 10,000 (fans). These fans here, they're amazing, like they just, the type of support that we get from them is unmatched. So, just having them in there definitely gives a different feel. And it's a feel that we want. Hopefully we can get closer to the norm of, a full house."

We know you're big on team success, but when you're having the kind of individual success you're having this year or years past, how do you keep yourself level headed and grounded? I mean, do friends keep you in check, does your family keep you in check? Meditate? I mean, how did you stay level?
"I mean, I just keep moving. I'm not like one that is super like into individual. Like, I'm not like an egotist, like, I'm not into myself like that, to where I get caught up in the things that I'm doing, records, stats. I don't really care about all that. I want to win. Like I said, team success, it brings individual success. The focus is not on me, it's so much bigger than me. So I've never really been into myself to that extent to where I would lose focus, get ahead of myself or be besides myself. I'm having fun playing. I'm having fun being around my teammates, having fun when we're doing what we got to do to win every week. And we're having the success that we're having. So, that's what I'm focused on, just keeping it moving. And like I say, doing whatever I can do to help the team win. So that's all I'm going to focus on."