Before the Japan-Netherlands match, Jameis Winston showed his support for the Netherlands’ fanbase when he walked out with the sea of fans in all orange, the self-proclaimed “Orange Army.” After the final whistle of their Group F opener in Arlington, Texas, footage showed fans carrying trash bags marked “Japan Pride,” clearing garbage from the stands. Winston, wearing a customized Japan jersey with his last name on the back, could be seen holding a blue bag and removing trash from each seat.

The reaction online was largely warm and full of admiration. But not everyone saw it that way. That is where former New Orleans Saints teammate Alvin Kamara stepped in, quickly coming to Winston’s defense and dismissing the criticism entirely. What makes it interesting, though, is that public criticism is hard to find in large volumes, which makes you wonder what exactly Kamara saw.

“lol shit is funny because everybody thinks Jameis is doing this for show but he really just a genuinely good dude in real life… cameras or not,” Alvin Kamara posted on X.

The speed at which Kamara jumped to Winston’s defense is telling in itself. It suggests he may have come across negativity in private circles or corners of social media that never quite made major headlines. Interestingly, that idea was not his alone. ClutchPoints also picked up on the sentiment.

“Some, however, viewed his gesture as pretentious or clout-chasing,” according to ClutchPoints.

On a broader picture, though, Winston was highly praised.

“Shoutout to our FIFA World Cup correspondent @Jaboowins and all the Japan fans cleaning up their trash at Dallas Stadium,” Fox Sports wrote on X, which Winston reposted.

According to ESPN, Japanese fans have been picking up trash from seats after a World Cup since 1998. Scott North, professor of sociology at Osaka University, explained to the BBC in 2018.

“Cleaning up after football matches is an extension of basic behaviors that are taught in school, where the children clean their school classrooms and hallways,” Scott North explained. “With constant reminders throughout childhood, these behaviors become habits for much of the population.”

Japanese fans carry that same habit into every major sporting event, including the Olympics. But Sunday had a little something extra. Winston, the veteran quarterback entering his 12th NFL season, did not just watch. He grabbed a bag and did his part alongside them, and that is what made the moment stand out.

The reactions were mixed, but Kamara made it pretty clear whose side he was on. And that should not surprise anyone. The two go back all the way to their shared time with the Saints from 2020 to 2023.

Alvin Kamara’s relationship with Jameis Winston

The two built a genuine connection during their four years together as Saints teammates, the kind of bond that tends to stick around long after the final whistle of a last shared season. Winston came to New Orleans in 2020 after wrapping up a five-season run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and from there, the two simply clicked.

What makes Kamara’s defense of Winston even more interesting is that this loyalty has always run both ways. Back in 2021, in a game against the Seahawks that the Saints won 13-10, Kamara put together the kind of performance that makes a quarterback want to talk about his running back.

He racked up a season-high 179 scrimmage yards, carrying the ball 20 times for 51 rush yards and hauling in 10 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. It was his fourth straight game with 100 or more scrimmage yards.

Winston did not need much prompting to sing his praises.

“A.K. is one of the most dominant players in this league,” he said, via Luke Johnson of The Times-Picayune. “It’s always exciting when you put the ball in his hands and watch the things he does.”

That respect was not just talk, either. According to StatMuse, Kamara had 253 carries for 969 yards and scored 14 touchdowns across 17 games with Winston as his quarterback.

And in 2023, even after a painful Week 13 loss against the Lions, Winston made sure Kamara got his flowers for his strong performance, calling him flat out “the best player on our team.”

So it really is no surprise that even now, with Winston suiting up for the New York Giants, that appreciation never faded. When someone came for his guy, Kamara was always going to say something.