METAIRIE, La. -- Earlier this month, New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan experienced a first in his 11-year NFL career.
Not his Pro Bowl selection (he has seven of those).
Not his NFC Defensive Player of the Week honor (he has three).
Not his Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination (he has two).
And we certainly aren’t talking sacks. The first of those came exactly 10 years ago on Jan. 1, 2012, against an opponent he’ll see again Sunday, the Carolina Panthers. He's up to 102.5 for his career -- including four over the past two weeks.
No, Jordan’s first was actually sitting at home, making a seven-layer bean dip, while the Saints were beating the New York Jets without him in Week 14.
Up until then, Jordan never had missed a game since being drafted in the first round out of Cal in 2011. A case of COVID-19 ended his ironman streak of 172 consecutive regular-season games and 11 playoff contests -- the longest active streak of any non-kicker in the NFL.
And it did not sit well with him.
“I was sick to my stomach. Almost didn’t watch the game. And then I was like, ‘Who would I be if I didn’t watch the game?’” Jordan said. “I felt like a D-coordinator, calling the calls. I made a big old seven-layer bean dip -- my kids had never had that. It was great to be with the family while watching the game. And at the same time it was sickening.”
Jordan quickly made up for lost time with two sacks and a forced fumble against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15. He also had two more sacks against Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. He now has eight this season after a relatively slow start.
The 32-year-old has started to show signs of slowing down on the field over the past two years (he had 7.5 sacks in 2020). But he doesn’t seem to have lost any of his unbridled enthusiasm for the game.
The 6-foot-4, 287-pounder has talked multiple times this season about how he loves practices almost as much as he loves games. And he has talked for years about his desire to keep thriving well into his second decade.
“As you know, he’s got this motor in him,” said Cam’s father, Steve Jordan, who laughed as he said it. “He’s super competitive, and he wants to do things at a high level.”
Steve, who was selected to six Pro Bowls himself as a tight end with the Minnesota Vikings from 1982 to 1994, called it a “God thing” that Cam has been blessed with good health for so long -- as well as his size and the athletic genes he inherited from his dad and his mom, Anita. Steve also pointed out that medicine and training techniques have advanced.
“But then you still have to have that motivation and that drive that’s gonna bring you back for Year 11 now, to say, ‘What can I do to get better? I still want to get better every year.’ And he has that drive,” said Steve, who spent several minutes reflecting on stories from Cam’s youth.
Like when he dove on the candy from a piñata at a friend’s birthday party like he was covering up a fumble. Or when he actually won a quarter-mile heat during a high school track meet at around 260 pounds after his coach convinced him to try it.
And, yes, Steve said, Cam has always had that “goofy” part of his personality that shows up in his frenetic interviews or appearances as a guest analyst on TV.
Steve said Cam has also always been “bighearted” and community minded -- from the days when he used to join his dad at charity events to now. Cam, who started the God Iz Love Foundation with his wife, Nikki, has long been known for visiting schools or youth programs on his off days throughout the season. This year, he also joined an initiative focused on anti-racism and community engagement training for New Orleans police officers.
“Cam’s one of the best players in the league. He’s one of the best people in the league. He’s one of the best personalities in the league,” ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said.
Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen agrees with Orlovsky's assessment of Cam.
“I just can't say enough about what he means to our defense, the team in general, our organization, the way he represents himself both on and off the football field. A class guy -- I've been fortunate enough to be around him and coach him.”
Cam will pose one of many difficult decisions for the Saints in 2022 since they are facing severe salary-cap constraints and he's scheduled to make $14.5 million.
But there is no question Cam remains a huge asset as both a leader and versatile defender and has always been one of the NFL’s best run-defending defensive ends -- sometimes lining up inside. In fact, Cam laments the fact the Saints used him as a run-stuffer during his rookie year, when he didn’t get that first sack until Week 17. He also has a knack for batting down passes.
Veteran offensive lineman James Hurst, who has been both a teammate and opponent, said the thing that stands out with Cam is he never takes a play off.
“You've got to be able to enjoy the moment, and I feel like I've played that way since high school,” Cam said. “There's only a finite amount of time that you have, so you better enjoy each and every second.
“You know, I feel like with the energy that I give this game, everything I've been able to give this game and with everything this game has given to me, I've never taken it for granted.”