Mark Ingram says his sideline outburst was due to emotions, competitive nature
Published:
If you missed it, New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram made headlines Sunday, unfortunately, not for anything he did on the field of play.
After being substituted from the game on first and goal from the two, Ingram was noticeably upset on the sideline. Many speculated the former Alabama Heisman Trophy winner was well aware of the fact he needed a touchdown to reach a $100,000 incentive in his contract. While that may have played a part in his reaction, Ingram would not use that as an excuse during his postgame comments.
“I’m real competitive in everything I do,” Ingram said according to Josh Katzenstein of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I got to be smarter, I got to control my emotions better, but we had a great win as a team and that’s our No. 1 goal. And that’s what I’m happy for, that we’re bringing a win back to New Orleans.”
Head coach Sean Payton wasn’t the only one that attempted to calm Ingram on the sideline, as several of his teammates did the same.
“Everybody calmed me down — a number of teammates, a number of coaches,” Ingram said. “That’s what a family’s about; that’s what a team is. A team is a family, and I appreciate all those guys for being there for me and also being understanding.”
While losing out on that much money would cause anyone to be upset, Ingram still has two games left to register a touchdown. If the Saints get close to the goal line in the coming weeks and don’t give Ingram the ball, how he reacts will be something to watch for with only two regular season games remaining this season.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
