Alvin Kamara has been an NFL running back for nearly five full seasons, but he didn't have to think too deeply about what's helped him reach the peak at his position so consistently over that time.
It's all in the work you don't see, often beginning when the alarm goes off at 4 a.m., and sometimes documented through series of bizarrely difficult workout videos. That's when the improvement happens, and if he misses that chance, he knows it'll only cost him down the road.
Kamara says his teammates know to bring that same energy, or clear his path.
"It’s a conversation that I think, for me, I got extreme with it, so a lot of people don’t like talking to me because I’ve got a short temper and short fuse for work ethic," he said. "Either you do it or you get the hell away from me."
It's a big element of what has led Kamara, along with the other members of the vaunted 2017 draft class, to have still yet to miss the playoffs in their NFL careers. Kamara has also set a litany of NFL all-time marks, including becoming the fastest player in NFL history to hit 3,000 yards rushing and receiving, surpassing 49ers great Roger Craig.
The running back didn't name names, but he did mention teammates who had seen their success dwindle without being able to put their finger on why. But Kamara knows why.
"They’ve declined, not even slowly, they declined pretty rapidly because they didn’t have the same mindset or the same grit and hustle that they had when they had success, and then they’re wondering why they’re not successful," Kamara said. "It’s like, ‘bro, you’re not doing what you did when you were successful.' "
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But that playoff streak is in jeopardy this season, due in large part to a five-game losing streak that coincided with Kamara's four-game absence due to knee and hamstring injuries. The star back prides himself on availability, which is what made that stretch particularly frustrating. After a 5-2 start, the Saints fell to 5-7 before wins in three of their last four games to set up a Week 18 win and in scenario, with a bit of help from the L.A. Rams.
The Saints were split on whether they'd be scoreboard watching. Cam Jordan said he might look if the Saints are up by 50. Taysom Hill said he'll probably be aware of what's happening. But Kamara remembers being in a similar situation for seeding during the 2019 season. He knew the Lions result was going to impact them, but he had no idea how their result was shaping until the team got into the locker room and caught the final 2 minutes (it didn't end the way they wanted). He expects the situation to play out similarly this time around, with the Saints needing a win and a 49ers loss to get into the playoffs.
But one thing every member of the Saints has agreed on is that they don't expect anything but a hard game from the Falcons, even if they're already eliminated from playoff contention.
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