2021 Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Tracker: Week 8

The most elaborate database on Crimson Tide football players in the NFL will follow everyone's progress through Week 8, including Monday Night Football.

Author:
Kristi Patrick
Publish date:
Oct 27, 2021 12:00 PM EDT

Die hard Alabama fans will remember that after Mark Ingram II won the program's first Heisman Trophy in 2009, the award ended up at his mother's house in Flint, Michigan.

More than a decade later, it's still there.

"She has it on a little stand with some pictures of family around it," Ingram told Texans Daily earlier this season. "Just sitting in the living room.”

When he won, Ingram was just a sophomore, just two years after Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win college football's greatest honor. The running back went back to Tuscaloosa to play play the 2010 season.

"You don’t just keep it in the dorm," Ingram said. "I just let her take it home and it’s been there ever since. I told her I’m going to take it at some point when I have a nice appropriate display for it, but that time has not come yet.

"So, she’s still holding it down and it’s in the living room. She says people come and give the pizza and they be like ‘Is that a Heisman?’ It’s at the house. My mom is holding it down. I’m getting it back for sure. I am definitely getting it back.”

On Wednesday, Ingram was traded to the team that originally drafted him, and where he’s played most of NFL career, the New Orleans Saints.

At age 31, Ingram leads all active players in rushing yards (7,618) and is second in rushing touchdowns (63).

However, he was having a bit of a tough season with the Houston Texans (1-6), as he's 31st in the league with 294 rushing yards and had scored just one touchdown while playing for a struggling team that didn’t have its franchise quarterback.

He's averaging 3.2 yards per carry. He hasn't had a season in which he's averaged under 4.0 since 2012.

“I don’t have any championship trophies, so nothing quite like that," Ingram said. "But, just having an 11-year career so far, that’s something I am proud of. I’m proud of that Heisman. I’m proud of some of the seasons I’ve had. Been able to make some Pro Bowls. Been able to win some division championships. Been able to experience some playoff wins. All that stuff is just great memories, a testament to hard work and dedication and being on good teams. So, if there are any similarities, I would say putting together the hard work, being on good teams, all the hard work.

"That’s what I’m proud of with winning the Heisman. That’s what I’m proud of being 11 years in and having won some great games, some playoff games. Having some individual success as far as Pro Bowls and stuff like that. I’m proud of those moments just like I am proud of winning the Heisman, but still have so much more I want to accomplish. So, I don’t live on those things, kind of just want to achieve more.”

For Ingram, whose father Mark played wide receiver for the New York Giants, the Heisman remains an object of pride for his entire family.

“When people bring it up, it’s just crazy to remember," he said. "You know, the memories of it and being able to obtain it, the obstacles that get rid of space in I’d overcome that I’ve been able to make that and the team I was on that was able to help me win that. I still wanted to do so much more when I won it.

"I still wanted to win the national championship. I still wanted to have a big year and get drafted. I still always wanted to accomplish more. So, I think maybe when I am done maybe it will settle in. But it is crazy to be the first one at Alabama and being able to win that trophy was a huge honor and something that I’m proud of.”

Game of the Week

Steelers at Browns: What can we say, we like the old-time rivalries, even if the Browns did move to Baltimore and became the Ravens, causing the league to put an expansion franchise in Cleveland in 1998. No matter. Steelers-Browns is almost always a special game. Pittsburgh finds itself in an unusual position, 3-3 and last in the division, while the Browns are really beat up at key spots. Isaiah Buggs, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Najee Harris and J.C. Hassenauer are all with the Steelers, with Ronnie Harrison Jr., Jedrick Wills Jr., and Mack Wilson on the Browns, and Miller Forristall on the practice squad. Of note, Myles Garrett leads the NFL in sacks with 9.5, and has 52 sacks through his first 58 NFL games. Since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, only Reggie White (70) and former Crimson Tide great Derrick Thomas (55) had more over their first 58 contests.

NFL Week 8 Schedule

Byes Baltimore, Las Vegas (All times CT)

Thursday's games

Green Bay at Arizona, Fox/NFLN/Amazon, 7:20 p.m.

Sunday's games

Carolina at Atlanta, Fox, noon

Miami at Buffalo, CBS, noon

San Francisco at Chicago, Fox, noon

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, CBS, noon

Philadelphia at Detroit, Fox, noon

Los Angeles Rams at Houston, Fox

Tennessee at Indianapolis, CBS, noon

Cincinnati at New York Jets, CBS, noon

New England at Los Angeles Chargers, CBS, 3:05 p.m.

Jacksonville at Seattle, CBS, 3:05 p.m.

Washington at Denver, Fox, 3:25 p.m.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, Fox, 3:25 p.m.

Dallas at Minnesota, NBC, 7:20 p.m.

Monday's game

New York Giants at Kansas City, ESPN, 7:15 p.m.

Highlights

Notes

• With 174 completions Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has joined Joe Burrow (195) and Justin Herbert (181) as the only rookie quarterbacks with at least 170 completions in their first seven starts in NFL history.

• Titans running back Derrick Henry needs just 131 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season and become just the 11th player in league history to top the milestone in eight games or fewer. He'd be the first since DeMarco Murray in 2014.

• Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has 44 receptions this season and has surpassed Anquan Boldin (42 receptions in 2003) and Michael Thomas 42 in 2016) for the second-most catches by a wide receiver in his first seven career games in NFL history. Only Eddie Royal (46 in 2008) had more.

• Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper needs one receiving touchdown to become just the eighth player in NFL history with five in each of his first seven seasons.

This report will be continually updated as necessary, and through the final game on the schedule.