New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is expected to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a possible suspension relating to a fight Kamara was involved in Vegas last year. Kamara pled no contest last month in a deal that saw the charges against him dropped. Kamara and three other men initially faced misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to commit battery. Furthermore, they also faced a felony charge of battery with substantial bodily harm. However, Kamara’s plea means he will no longer face felony charges. Instead, Kamara pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of breaching the peace.
The charge stemmed from Kamara’s February 2022 arrest. Kamara and three other men were indicted after being accused of assaulting a man outside of a Vegas nightclub. The assault reportedly occurred the night before the NFL Pro Bowl. Kamara then proceeded to play in the Pro Bowl the following day before being taken into custody. Kamara had initially reached a private settlement with the victim, Darnell Greene Jr., on July 10, 2023. As a result of his plea, Kamara will be sentenced to 30 hours of community service and a financial settlement of $105,000 to the victim. However, the question of whether the NFL would also punish Kamara has remained.
Kamara Could Miss Season Start
"I think Alvin really wants to get out ahead of this and have a chance to visit with Roger and kind of give him his side of the story," Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Monday. "And look, at the end of the day, I think part of it is, 'Let's get some resolution with where we're at and move forward.'. I think Alvin is looking forward to putting this behind him and focusing in on what he has to do to be the best he can for our team this season. We're working, practicing, getting better. Alvin is going to be a huge part of what we do here. We'll take things in stride and ... anything we have to deal with, we'll deal with it when the time is right."
The NFL has not indicated either way as to whether Kamara will be suspended. However, the league states in its personal conduct policy that a player does not need to have a criminal conviction to still face a suspension. If Kamara does miss the start of the season, the Saints would turn their running game over to Jamaal Williams. The former Lion is coming off a career year in which he broke 1000 yards for the first time. However, the loss of Kamara would be a massive blow for a team looking to get back on its feet. The last few seasons have been a down period for the team following the retirement of Drew Brees.
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