Mark Ingram is back in New Orleans, but his former teammate Cam Jordan was still keeping his excitement close to the vest.
When he finally gets in the building, which was expected to happen Friday when he got to practice, Jordan expected they'd hug. But even while playing coy, he had a hard time containing his true feelings about the player the Saints traded for this week, whom the defensive co-hosts a podcast with.
“You say remember like it was so long ago. I spent the first 7 or 8 years with him. I’m looking forward to seeing my guy back. I mean, everybody knows how infectious Mark’s energy is, how great of a teammate he is, what he can do on the field," Jordan said. "Everybody remembers Zoom and Boom from AK and Mark Ing going ham across the league. So am I looking forward to this 2.0? Maybe. Am I look forward to David coming back this week? For sure. Am I more excited because it’s been a whole 'nother month since we’ve been in the dome with fans back? Absolutely.”
A good number of current Saints players remember Ingram's long run with the Saints, which ended before the 2019 season when he left in free agency. Ingram will rejoin star running back Alvin Kamara. The duo was incredibly effective during their years together in the Saints backfield, but the energy boost will be clear, even outside of whatever production the RB brings to the field.
"A lot of the guys are new to the team, a lot of young guys may not have been around for 2 or 3 years. But the guys that know the energy, the guys that know we have a great teammate coming in," Jordan said. "Somebody who has always bought in, somebody who has carried the running back load at times before AK came through. This is somebody who is selfless and whether they know of him or not, they understand that this is what it takes to be a consummate pro.”
Related
━━━━
MARCUS WILLIAMS: Ingram 'plays like he's still 20'
Saints safety Marcus Williams only spent two seasons as a teammate of Ingram, but they formed a tight bond during that time. Williams says the pair still speaks regularly, and they'll often meet up during the offseason, despite Ingram playing elsewhere the past 3 years.
"Shoot, I talk to Mark almost every day," Williams said. "We play the game and do things like that. But we talk all the time, he’s like my big brother."
There will be fair questions about how much Ingram, now 31, can have in the latter stages of an impressive NFL career. Williams' answer is simple: He's still got a lot left in the tank. How does he know? All it takes is a quick watch.
“He’s going, he’s been going. I ain’t never seen him stop," Williams said. "I ain’t seen a decline in his play. If you see him, he’s still running through people, he’s still outrunning people. I think he’s just getting started, to be honest. … Plays like he’s still 20.”
━━━━
JAMEIS WINSTON: 'We're Heisman brothers'
The Saints' starting quarterback has never been a teammate of Ingram's before, but they do have a connection. Both were Heisman trophy winners during their time in college. Winston won the award after his 2013 season at Florida State, while Ingram won it after his 2009 season at Alabama.
Their age difference meant they didn't cross paths on the field in college, but Winston said he remembers watching Ingram as he came up -- and they met during a recruiting visit to Alabama.
“I know we’re Heisman brothers. I don’t know him personally very much at all, but I’ve heard of the teammate he is, the high energy that he brings and the person that he is," Winston said. "So I’m very blessed and welcoming to Mark Ingram because I know he was drafted here, so I know he has a lot of pride for this organization. We’re glad to have him back.”
Related
━━━━
ERIK MCCOY: 'I've heard stories'
Saints center Erik McCoy joined the team in 2019, meaning he just missed crossing paths with Ingram in New Orleans. But he knows all about the player and locker room leader the team added by trade this week.
And he's also heard about the Saturday morning spread that he can look forward to.
“Yea, I wasn’t here with him his first stint, but I’ve heard the stories in the locker room about how great of a guy he is," McCoy said. "[I've heard] about how his wife makes a great Saturday morning dish, so I’m looking forward to it."
Related
