Getty Image / Jason Miller
It has been a year and a half since Alvin Kamara was involved in an altercation in Las Vegas during the weekend of the Pro Bowl.
As Kamara dealt with the legal fallout of his actions, football fans have been waiting to see when and how he would be punished by the league.
Today, the NFL finally revealed how long Kamara’s suspension will be.
The league announced that he will miss the New Orleans Saints’ first 3 games.
NFL statement on Kamara’s suspension: pic.twitter.com/YCEylrTNsQ
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) August 4, 2023
That suspension wasn’t quite what football fans had been expecting since the news broke about the altercation.
It turns out there’s a reason for that. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Kamara chose to negotiate a settlement with the NFL instead of going through a hearing and appeals.
The suspensions of Alvin Kamara and Chris Lammons were the result of negotiations with the NFL, with no official hearing conducted. https://t.co/1x0Xo1QfUq
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 4, 2023
It was a smart move Kamara. many were expecting to see him miss 6 games given the extent of the victim’s injuries and the fact that there was video of the incident.
The 3 games he will end up missing are home game against the Titans and road games against the Panthers and Packers.
While he is gone, the Saints will turn to a combination of Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller, and Eno Benjamin in the backfield.
For the 3 games they’ll be needed, that group should be able to get the job done in what are some very winnable matchups for the Saints.
Once he returns, Alvin Kamara will still have to prove he can still be an elite running back for the New Orleans Saints after a disappointing 2022 season.
Now he’ll only have to wait 3 games to get his chance to prove it thanks to his settlement with the league.