Being an elite athlete requires mastery of mind, body and, occasionally, some unorthodox skills. As part of the December 2024 Total Athlete issue, SI explores how today’s complete competitors are expanding what’s possible with new fitness frontiers, cutting edge technology, mental training and more—from the behemoths of the NFL’s offensive line, to a versatile WNBA veteran, to a special group of athletes who forgo the fundamentals and go against the grain.
In a Week 2 game against the Cowboys, the Saints called a screen pass near midfield with a little less than 10 minutes to go in the second quarter. Alvin Kamara, the team’s 5' 10", 215-pound running back, caught the ball and, after guard Lucas Patrick jolted Dallas defender Eric Kendricks backward, began sprinting toward a large swath of open space.
