RB Alvin Kamara Shocks NFL by Bluntly Refusing to Accept Practice Jersey With LGBT Symbol During Transgender Awareness Week. Calls the “WOKE” Program Unworthy of Honor

New Orleans, Louisiana. November 15, 2025

The New Orleans Saints may be on their bye week, but that hasn’t stopped the organization from becoming the center of the NFL’s biggest controversy. The reason has nothing to do with game plans or roster moves. It comes from one person: Alvin Kamara. The Saints’ star running back ignited a league-wide firestorm after flatly refusing to wear a practice shirt featuring the LGBT symbol, which the team distributed to players in support of Transgender Awareness Week (November 13–19).

While the NFL encourages league-wide participation to honor the transgender community and acknowledge the upcoming Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, Kamara chose to remain outside the campaign. And he did so in a way that instantly drew national attention during a week when the Saints weren’t even playing.

During a light workout session at the team facility, Kamara remained calm but firm. And with just a few sentences, he froze the entire media room.

“I respect everyone. but I don’t think football is the place to bring messages like this into. I don’t want to wear that LGBT shirt. And I want to keep my focus on my work. There are things more important that people on the outside don’t fully understand. and I don’t want to be pushed into representing something that isn’t who I am. At the end of the day. I just want to play football for what it truly is.”

His statement spread across social media in minutes. Advocacy groups supporting the transgender community quickly criticized him as “lacking empathy” and “undermining the collective effort of the NFL.” Conversely, a large portion of fans—especially across the southern states—praised Kamara for “standing firm in his personal beliefs.”

Inside the Saints building, the situation has been described as sensitive but not fractured. Some players understand Kamara’s stance. others feel he picked the wrong moment to ignite a controversy, particularly as the team uses the bye week to stabilize its roster and reset for the stretch run.

Head coach Kellen Moore chose to stay out of the cultural debate. offering only a brief statement that the team “respects every individual’s perspective” and will use the bye week to focus on recovery and improvement.

Even without a game. Alvin Kamara has turned the Saints into the NFL’s hottest topic of the week. A single practice shirt has triggered a major discussion about the line between personal freedom, the NFL’s push for inclusivity, and the responsibility carried by star players in an increasingly divided social landscape.