New Orleans Saints finally have an Alabama football player

Alabama football fans can go back to cheering for the Saints

Since the state of Alabama has no professional team, many fans support neighboring franchises. The Titans, Falcons and Saints are the three most common to support. While Atlanta and Tennessee had Alabama football legends on their rosters this year, the Saints did not. That is, they did not until now.

A few days before the NFL trade deadline, the New Orleans Saints traded with the Houston Texans for Mark Ingram. Ingram signed with the Texans this offseason and has been a veteran in the locker room. In a loaded backfield, he was still the leader in carries by a wide margin. His stats were below his average, but he still contributes and brings energy to the team.

The Saints drafted Mark Ingram when he left Alabama football, and he had an eight-year career before becoming the starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens. He had over 6000 rushing yards in his first stint with the Saints, and he will likely end the season as the team’s all-time leading rusher.

The three-time Pro Bowler used to start for the Saints, but he will be a depth piece now. Alvin Kamara is one of the most talented backs in the NFL, and Ingram will change the pace and provide rest. Still, he has enough tread on the tires to contribute this year.

Alabama football has seen plenty of stars thrive in the NFL, but Ingram has always been a fan favorite. He was the first Tide player to win the Heisman Trophy, and he was a key piece to the start of the Alabama football dynasty. Playing for a team close to Alabama has always been a bonus, and he finally gets to go back to where his NFL career started.

Things will be different this time, but Ingram will be cheered heavily by the Tide faithful. We’ll see what he can do the rest of this season in New Orleans.