FEATURED SAINT
BY SAM SHANNON
JORDAN PUSHES IT TO THE LIMIT IN EVERYTHING HE DOES
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aints DE Cameron Jordan’s seventh NFL campaign in 2017 was also his best to date. He compiled career-highs in sacks (13) and pass breakups (11) to go along with 62 tackles and two forced fumbles. Jordan finished the 2017 season with 59.5 career sacks, moving him into fifth place on the club’s all-time sack list and led the club in takedowns for the third straight season. The sign of consistency for the last seven years along the Black
and Gold’s defensive line, he became the first Saint to have six consecutive seasons of at least 60 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He also earned his third trip to the Pro Bowl, becoming the only defensive lineman in Saints history to be selected three times. According to the NFL Players Association, the average playing career in this league lasts about 3.3 years. One might assume that being selected to three Pro Bowls in seven seasons is enough to
satisfy the lifelong dream of making it in the NFL for Jordan, who’s clearly established himself as one of the game’s best defensive players. However, at this stage of his career, Jordan is only half the player that he strives to be. When asked what he attributes to his success the most thus far in his career, Jordan believes a strong family foundation is key. “When you talk about what I grew up with — whom I grew up with, my dad being who he is — there’s a lot of things that make you want to be better than your father,” said Jordan. “You always want to make your family proud and push the family limits.” Jordan’s father, Steve, was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1986 through 1991 and finished his NFL career with 498 receptions for 6,307 yards (12.7 avg.) and 28 touchdowns. He spent his entire 13-year career as tight end of the Minnesota Vikings. Jordan recognizes the significant impact his father had in this league on and off the field and is using his father’s milestones as motivation to take his game to the next level. “It’s a running joke that we have,” said Jordan. “What is it, nine Pro Bowls between the Jordan family? And I have only three of them to his six, so I have my work cut out for me.” Jordan’s mother, Anita, is also credited with having a major impact on how Cameron got to where he is today. “When you talk about my mom, the foundation of support of her driving us to all of our practices between three kids, it probably got stressful at times and she never wavered,” said Jordan. “She was our first goalie, our first coach, so everything from my family has pushed me to want to be better than what I was the day before.” When asked what impact his Continued on page 58
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