Alvin Kamara Bio
Alvin Mentian Kamara is an American professional football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Born on July 25, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia, Kamara has spent his entire NFL career with the Saints since being selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Across his first eight professional seasons, he has earned five Pro Bowl selections, two Second-team All-Pro honors, and the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Known for his dual-threat ability as both a rusher and receiver out of the backfield, Kamara has established himself as one of the most productive all-purpose backs of his generation.
Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and listed at 215 pounds, Kamara combines compact strength with rare balance and vision. His career totals through the 2025 season include more than 7,200 rushing yards, nearly 5,000 receiving yards, and 86 total touchdowns, reflecting a workload that extends well beyond traditional running back duties.
Early Life and Background
Alvin Kamara was born on July 25, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia, to a Liberian mother. He grew up in nearby Norcross, Georgia, where he attended Norcross High School and played for the Blue Devils football team. Even at a young age, Kamara showed the versatility that would later define his professional career, contributing as a runner, receiver, and returner.
As a junior in 2011, Kamara rushed for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns, announcing himself as one of the state’s most promising talents. His senior season in 2012 was even more impressive, as he piled up 2,264 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 22 receptions for 286 yards and five scores. He led Norcross to its first state championship, scoring two touchdowns, including a 61-yard reception, in the 6A title game.
His dominant senior campaign earned him Georgia’s Mr. Football honor, first-team All-State recognition from the Georgia Sports Writers Association, and an invitation to the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game. Rated the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 247Composite, Kamara chose to play college football at the University of Alabama under head coach Nick Saban.
Path to American Football
Kamara’s path to the NFL was not linear. After arriving at Alabama, he had knee surgery during the preseason and redshirted his true freshman year behind a stacked backfield that included Derrick Henry, T. J. Yeldon, and Kenyan Drake. Behavioral issues led head coach Nick Saban to ban him from practices and suspend him for a bowl game, prompting Kamara to seek a fresh start.
In 2014, he transferred to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Playing for the Blue Dragons, Kamara rushed for 1,253 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games, finishing with 1,477 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns. His dominant junior college season earned him NJCAA All-American honors and a five-star JUCO rating from both Rivals.com and Scout.com.
Kamara then committed to the University of Tennessee, where he played under head coach Butch Jones. Across the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he amassed nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage while sharing carries with Jalen Hurd and John Kelly. In 2016, he set a Tennessee record with 312 all-purpose yards against Texas A&M, breaking a mark that had stood since 1989. Following that redshirt junior season, Kamara declared for the 2017 NFL Draft.
Alvin Kamara Career
Early Career (2017)
The New Orleans Saints selected Alvin Kamara in the third round with the 67th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, making him the fifth running back chosen that year. He joined a backfield led by Mark Ingram II and quickly carved out a complementary role as a pass-catching specialist and change-of-pace runner. By the end of his rookie year, Kamara had produced one of the most unique statistical seasons in league history.
Kamara’s 728 rushing yards and 826 receiving yards made him the first Saint and only the third NFL rookie to post a 700/700 season. His 81 receptions led all rookies and ranked second among running backs behind Le’Veon Bell. He and Ingram became the first running back duo in NFL history to each exceed 1,500 scrimmage yards in the same season, helping the Saints finish 11-5 and atop the NFC South.
NFL Breakthrough (2017-2019)
Kamara’s rookie excellence earned him the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, a Pro Bowl selection, and a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team. In the playoffs, he scored rushing and receiving touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card Round before catching a go-ahead touchdown pass from Drew Brees against the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round.
In 2018, with Ingram serving a four-game suspension to open the year, Kamara seized the lead role and delivered. He set career highs with 19 carries, 134 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns against the New York Giants in Week 4, becoming the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards within his first 20 games. He finished the year with 883 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 709 receiving yards, earning another Pro Bowl nod and helping the Saints earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Kamara’s 2019 campaign featured big games against the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans. Despite missing time with ankle and knee injuries, he recorded 797 rushing yards, 533 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns, earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection in as many NFL seasons.
New Orleans Saints Era (2020-Present)
On the eve of the 2020 opener, Kamara signed a five-year contract extension worth $75 million. He delivered one of the greatest individual performances in league history on Christmas Day 2020, rushing for 155 yards and tying the NFL single-game record with six rushing touchdowns in a 52-33 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He led the NFL with 21 total touchdowns that season and became the first player in league history to record at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons.
Kamara continued his elite production in 2021, reaching 3,000 career receiving yards in just 66 games to become the fastest player in NFL history to reach 3,000 yards in both rushing and receiving, surpassing Roger Craig’s previous mark of 70 games. His fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection made him the first player in franchise history to earn that honor in each of his first five seasons.
After recording the fewest receiving yards in NFL history on 13 receptions in a 2023 game against Tampa Bay, Kamara passed Marques Colston to become the Saints’ all-time touchdown leader and later surpassed Mark Ingram for the most rushing yards in franchise history. On October 22, 2024, he signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension, finishing that year with 950 rushing yards and 543 receiving yards despite missing the final three games with a groin injury.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kamara is widely regarded as one of the league’s most versatile backs, excelling as both a runner and receiver. His compact frame, low center of gravity, and elite contact balance allow him to absorb hits and finish runs, while his soft hands and route-running precision make him a reliable target in the passing game. He is equally effective on screen passes, wheel routes, and traditional runs between the tackles, forcing defenses to account for him on every snap.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kamara’s signature moments are his six-touchdown performance on Christmas Day 2020, his game-winning touchdown reception against the Minnesota Vikings in the 2017 Divisional Round, and his record-setting 312 all-purpose yards against Texas A&M in 2016. He became the Saints’ all-time leader in rushing yards, scrimmage yards, and touchdowns while earning five Pro Bowl selections and two Second-team All-Pro honors.
Alvin Kamara Career Wins
Alvin Kamara has accumulated a remarkable array of accolades across his professional and collegiate careers, highlighted by an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, two Second-team All-Pro selections, and five consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2017 through 2021.
New Orleans Saints Highlights
Kamara’s Saints career includes rushing and receiving totals that place him among the most productive backs in franchise history. He posted a 700/700 scrimmage yard season as a rookie, led the NFL with 21 total touchdowns in 2020, and surpassed franchise legends Marques Colston and Mark Ingram to become the Saints’ all-time leader in touchdowns and rushing yards. His five consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2017 to 2021 set a franchise record.
Other Wins and Performances
At Hutchinson Community College, Kamara earned NJCAA All-American honors in 2014 after rushing for 1,253 yards and 18 touchdowns. At Tennessee, he set a school record for rushing yards in a debut game with 144 against Bowling Green and a single-game all-purpose yards record with 312 against Texas A&M, helping the Volunteers win the Outback Bowl and the Music City Bowl.
Alvin Kamara Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Alvin Kamara was raised by a Liberian mother in the Atlanta metropolitan area. He attended Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, where his football career began, but specific details about his parents and siblings are not widely documented in verified sources.
Personal Life
Kamara has maintained a relatively private personal life. Beyond football, he owns the Big Squeezy, a Louisiana-based juice and smoothie chain with locations in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Mandeville, and New Orleans. In June 2021, NASCAR named him as its Growth and Engagement Advisor, a role he took on after becoming involved in the sport’s racial-justice initiatives the previous year.
2025 Season Performance
Alvin Kamara’s 2025 campaign was interrupted by a midseason injury. He posted back-to-back games with over 100 scrimmage yards in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers and again in Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers, but a sprained MCL suffered in Week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons forced him to miss the final six games of the year.
Despite the shortened season, Kamara continued producing when healthy, finishing with 131 carries for 471 yards and one touchdown while adding 33 receptions for 186 yards across 11 appearances. He remained a central figure in the Saints’ offensive game plan and a leader in the locker room.
Looking ahead, Kamara remains under contract with the New Orleans Saints through the 2026 season following his two-year, $24.5 million extension signed in October 2024. As he approaches his mid-thirties, his role may evolve toward more situational use, but his receiving skills and red-zone reliability should keep him productive. His future Hall of Fame candidacy will rest on whether he can add another elite season to a résumé that already includes five Pro Bowl selections and a tie for the NFL single-game rushing touchdown record.
