Mark Ingram's Saints Career Has Been Special
Mark Ingram II was diagnosed with an MCL tear in his knee after Monday night's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ingram, who turns 33 on December 21, will probably be out for the rest of the remaining four games for the Saints this season.
A twelve-year veteran, Ingram will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. After 301 yards from scrimmage over 10 games this season, it seems unlikely that New Orleans will re-sign him.
If that's the case, then Ingram will leave as one of the better players in franchise history. His twelve-year career, a little over nine of which with the Saints, includes over 8,100 yards rushing and 75 total touchdowns.
Mark Ingram's Saints Career
Mark Ingram Sr. was a Super Bowl-winning wideout for the New York Giants in 1990 and accomplished receiver for the Giants, Dolphins, Packers, and Eagles from 1987 to 1996. Son Mark would forge his own path, rushing for 3,261 yards and scoring 46 touchdowns in a three-year collegiate career at Alabama. He claimed the Heisman Trophy in 2009, rushing for 1,658 yards with 20 touchdowns while helping the Crimson Tide to a National Championship.
December 4, 2011; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (28) carries the ball against the Detroit Lions. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans pulled off a trade with the New England Patriots to obtain the 28th overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. With that pick, they added Ingram, who rushed for 474 yards and scored five touchdowns in ten games as a rookie for the record-setting 2011 Saints offense.
Ingram shared snaps in the New Orleans backfield with Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and Chris Ivory over his first three years, totaling 1,462 yards on the ground over that span. He'd have a breakout campaign in 2014, rushing for 964 yards and earning his first Pro Bowl bid.
Part of the reason that Ingram shared backfield duties early in his career was the fact that he didn't add much as a receiver. He worked hard to improve, and after catching just 53 passes in his first four years had 50 receptions to go along with his 769 yards rushing in 2015.
In 2016, Ingram had his first 1,000-yard season with 1,043 on the ground, becoming just the seventh player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. He'd earn his second Pro Bowl berth in 2017, rushing for what would be a career-high 1,124 and 12 touchdowns. Ingram also had career bests in receptions (58) and receiving yards (416). He became just the third player in franchise history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns.
After serving a four-game league suspension in 2018, Ingram would depart after the season as a free agent. He'd leave as the franchise's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns but 89 yards shy of Deuce McAllister as the team’s all-time rushing yardage leader.
New Orleans brought Ingram back midway through through the 2021 season via trade. Three games into his second stint with the team he'd pass McAllister as the franchise's all-time leader in rushing yards.
Knee injuries hampered Ingram's return to New Orleans, causing him to miss seven of 24 contests and limiting his impact. However, his hard work, unselfishness, underrated versatility, and energizing power runs will leave a lasting legacy with the team.
Dec 24, 2017; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Ingram has 6,500 rushing yards and 52 touchdowns on the ground in ten seasons and 123 games with the New Orleans Saints. He's the franchise record holder in both categories, along with rushing attempts and 100-yard games. He added 264 receptions for another 1,804 yards and five scores during his Saints career.
If Monday's game was his last with New Orleans, he'll leave behind a decorated career as one of the most popular players in franchise history and will surely wind up in the Saints Hall of Fame.
