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Mark Ingram knew when he got back to the Big Easy he was close to a big milestone.
The former Alabama running back and longtime Saint spoke openly about the Saints’ all-time rushing record. When Ingram left the team in free agency after the 2018 season, he was 90 yards shy of breaking Deuce McAllister’s franchise-leading mark (6,096). After a few years away, he was traded back to the Saints by the Houston Texans on Oct. 29.
And against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Ingram officially got it.
??? ??????: @MarkIngramII is the new #Saints career rushing yards leader! ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/DUuspLwGKN
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 14, 2021
Ingram officially passed McAllister with a 6-yard carry in the 3rd quarter Sunday. He entered the day trailing McAllister by just 20 yards. Ingram later capped that same drive with his first touchdown of the day from 13 yards out.
Ingram's first TD with the #Saints this season ⚜️
?: CBS pic.twitter.com/a7VgBm7j8x
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 14, 2021
The former Heisman Trophy winner and 3-time Pro Bowler rushed for 7,688 yards and 63 touchdowns (with 1,965 yards receiving and 10 receiving scores) in his career before Sunday’s game.
“Obviously, when I left, I knew I was close and that sucked,” Ingram said when he returned to New Orleans, via AL.com. “I didn’t know when I’d come back, if I’d come back or how I’d come back. I always figured that maybe I’d have a chance to come back. You never know. The league is crazy, but I’m thankful that I was able to come back. I feel like it was perfect timing.
“It’s something that, so many great running backs have come through the New Orleans Saints program and especially Deuce. I looked up to him growing up, watching him run the rock, so just to be able to be mentioned with those type of players, that’s something I’m proud of, something I worked very hard for. Thank the Lord for health and longevity and everyone in my corner who has helped me get to this point, so just something that I’ll be proud of and something I’m just going to continue to keep going, continue trying to be better, trying to do more, so not content, not complacent, just trying to do a lot more.”
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
