Mark Ingram II is going into his ninth season and is a two-time Pro Bowler, but he's new to Baltimore.
Here are five things to know about the Ravens' new veteran running back:
1. His father, Mark Ingram Sr., played 10 seasons in the NFL and was drafted in the same spot
This is crazy. Mark Ingram Sr. and his son were both drafted in the first round, both at No. 28 overall. Ingram Sr. was selected by the New York Giants in 1987 as a 5-foot-10, 194-pound wide receiver out of Michigan State. He went on to play 10 NFL seasons, including six with the Giants before bouncing to Miami, Green Bay and Philadelphia. Ingram Sr. totaled 265 catches for 3,936 yards and 26 touchdowns. With 38 more receptions, son would pass father in career NFL catches. But Ingram Sr. won Super Bowl XXV while his son is looking for his first ring. Ingram was drafted by the Saints two seasons after they won Super Bowl XLIV.
2. He's a Flint kid
There's something about people from Flint, Mich. They're just tough. Ingram was born in New Jersey, but attended high school in Flint, which is the same town Ravens cornerback Brandon Carr grew up in. Ingram was a four-star recruit coming out of Flint Southwestern Academy, where he not only starred at running back, but also had 84 tackles and eight interceptions during his senior year.
3. He was the first Alabama player to ever win the Heisman Trophy
Ingram's production didn't slow down once he got to Alabama. Despite top-notch SEC competition and playing behind Glen Coffee, he set a school record with 12 touchdowns as a freshman. As a sophomore, he became the first Alabama player to ever win the Heisman Trophy, and the youngest player (nine days shy of his 20th birthday) to ever do so. It was the closest vote in Heisman history, as Ingram edged out Stanford running back Toby Gerhart with just five more first-place votes.
In that 2009 season, Ingram broke Alabama's single-season rushing yards record (1,658), previously held by Bobby Humphrey (Marlon Humphrey's father). He was named Offensive MVP of the national championship win after rushing for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Ingram declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season with 42 rushing touchdowns on his resume – still tied for the most in Alabama history.
4. He's a community champion who got taken down by a security dog
Ingram was the Saints as their 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. He sponsored a backpack giveaway for over 200 underserved kids, participated in the Saints' Players Annual Turkey Giveaway and hosted his annual Christmas Shopping Spree. Ingram was also selected to participate in the NFL's USO Tour in the 2018 offseason visiting Italy and Germany. A video of him getting horse-collar tackled by an Italian airport security dog went viral.
Last June, Ingram was honored by Volunteers of America as he received their most prestigious, nationally-recognized award, which is the 2018 Ballington & Maud Booth Award. The award was granted to Ingram in recognition of his work mentoring children, particularly those with an incarcerated parent. In 2008, Ingram's father was sentenced to seven years in prison for money laundering and fraud. He got an additional 27 months after failing to surrender to imprisonment so he could watch his son's final game of the 2008 season, the Sugar Bowl.
5. He's all about the deeetails
Speaking of going viral, Ingram has built up a "thing" where he talks about the "deeetails" of something. It's hard to describe, but just watch. It's hilarious.
"The details, the small things matter," Ingram said. "When you go out to dinner, the presentation of the meal matters. That lobster tail with the drawn butter, that's details. You have socks up under your shoes, that's details. The watch, that's details.
"I just did it over time and it caught fire last season when I did it? on the sideline talking about Alvin [Kamara's] airheads. But anybody that's been following me knows I've been doing it for about two years now. It's just something that's fun."
