Mark Ingram found his 'post-career dream job' on FOX Big Noon Kickoff

On Oct. 20, 2022, Mark Ingram played 20 snaps for the New Orleans Saints in a 42-34 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. It was the seventh game of Ingram’s 12th NFL season — his second back in New Orleans with the franchise that drafted him.

One year later, Ingram’s life looked much different. He had traded his jersey in for a suit, and his helmet for a microphone, for his new job on FOX Big Noon Kickoff. It’s been quite the shift for the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner and former Alabama standout.

Still, it was hard for Ingram to envision doing anything else after moving on from the NFL. And he’s loving every minute.

“I’m essentially going to a football party every single Saturday on campus and we’re talking football on TV,” Ingram told On3 in an exclusive interview via Zoom. “It’s just been an amazing transition and an amazing blessing.”

Ingram joined Big Noon Kickoff after he announced his retirement from the Saints. Now, he works alongside fellow Heisman winner Matt Leinart, Maxwell Award winner Brady Quinn and three-time national champion coach Urban Meyer every week. He’s also working on other ventures, such as Dos Equis’ College Football Tailgate Throwdown. Voting runs through Oct. 25 as he helps an Alabama fan try to win the ultimate prize.

The show has taken him across the country — from Boulder to visit Colorado and, most recently, Columbus ahead of Ohio State vs. Penn State. This week, the crew will head to Lawrence for Kansas vs. Oklahoma.

It’s been quite the road from the football field to behind the desk, now breaking down each week’s worth of games instead of playing every Sunday. Through eight weeks, Ingram knows he still has plenty to learn in the space, and he’s keeping a similar mentality than the one he had under Nick Saban at Alabama.

“The transition has been — obviously, it’s different. But it’s just been great, man,” Ingram said. “I’m working with some great people and the job is just enjoyable. … I’m thankful that I had this opportunity to be able to do this job, and I just want to be the best at it. I want to do it at a high level, I want to be an asset to the network, I want to be an asset to our show. I want to be able to provide some insight, teach some things and also, just bring my personality, as well.

“Obviously, I’m still a work in progress. … Still a lot more room to improve, a lot more room to get better. But definitely a blessing. I’m doing my post-career dream job. Can’t complain at all.”

An interest in TV led Mark Ingram to a broadcasting major, eventual post-NFL career

Growing up, Mark Ingram only wanted to play in the NFL. He did just that at a high level for 12 years, playing in three Pro Bowls and rushing for more than 8,000 yards with the Saints, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. But he also knew he’d need to do something after his career ended, and TV piqued his interest.

“When I went to college, I actually studied communications,” Ingram said. “Sports broadcasting kind of intrigued me, interested me because I loved sports And I would always watch — which is now a competitor — [College] GameDay. I would wake up and watch GameDay all the time growing up, and always the Monday nights or the Sunday shows. I’d always wake up and watch those shows. So I was always interested in it.”

During his time at Alabama, while winning the Heisman and a national championship, Ingram started hearing people say he should get into TV. Initially, he dismissed them. But as he went through his NFL career, he kept hearing those same comments. So, he found ways to get his feet wet.

Then, FOX came calling — and he finds himself busy on Saturdays again.

“When I got to the league, just over time, I’d do interviews … and people would be like, ‘Man, you should think about doing this. You’d be good at it.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, whatever.’ Then, I had a couple moments later in my career where people were like, ‘No, no, we really think you should do this. You’d be good at it.’ So I just kept trying to get repetitions, like when I get invited to do car washes or do a segment somewhere, I would just take those opportunities just to try and get some experience and get some reps.

“Fortunately, when a position opened up, I had people vouch for me, I had people representing me and people saying that they thought I’d be good for the position. The position got offered to me, and I just took it and ran with it, man. It’s just been a great, tremendous blessing to be able to essentially be doing my dream job. My dream job was playing in the NFL. But essentially, I’m doing my post-career dream job.”

Still, Ingram knows he’s not a finished product as a TV analyst.

“Just trying to accelerate, elevate, continue to improve, continue to get better,” he said. “A lot of room for growth.”