Saints Make Big Cam Jordan Announcement As New Orleans Confirms Rare Honor for Star DE

Early into his 14th NFL season, one that bore the weight of legacy, vengeance, and inevitable transition, Cam Jordan told Sports Illustrated that he began waking up a little earlier. At 6 a.m., he would stretch, meditate, hit the sauna, then plunge into cupping therapy before heading to the beach for volleyball with his family. All this, before training camp even started. But it was more than just preparation. It was preservation of body, of identity, of something greater than football. Jordan wasn’t just getting ready for another season. He was entering a space many elite athletes resist: the beginning of the end.

Now, as the New Orleans City Council declares May 8 “Cam Jordan Day” in honor of his immense dedication to the city and community, Jordan’s place in the city’s heart feels even more cemented. It’s a rare and meaningful tribute and one that only a select few have received. He wasn’t just a great Saint. He was the Saint of the post-Brees era.

When Cam Jordan was drafted 24th overall by New Orleans in 2011, the Saints were still in the long afterglow of their Super Bowl XLIV triumph. That defense was loud and opportunistic. Jordan, quiet and methodical, arrived as an outlier. It wouldn’t be long before he became the constant. From Dennis Allen’s years as DC to his failed stint as head coach, Cam has not left. But the thought of leaving did stay in his mind. “You always know you’re close to the end,” he told Sports Illustrated last season. “From the very beginning, that’s the moment your clock starts.”

He’s long carried that awareness. His father, Steve Jordan, played 13 seasons for the Vikings. Cameron surpassed him last year. There’s symmetry in that. But also intent. This was never just about playing long. It was about playing well, long. And playing here.

But it did not just stop there. He made himself a strong part of the community, too. Until 2020, the Cam Jordan Foundation had focused on programs rooted in growth, education, youth literacy, fitness, and anti-bullying. But in the aftermath of the terrible George Floyd incident, Cam picked up the phone. One conversation led to another. Eventually, he sat down with LaToya Cantrell, the mayor of New Orleans. They spoke candidly about the city’s strained relationship with law enforcement, about a police department operating under a federal consent decree, about the long-overdue work of reform. Jordan came up with an idea: what if he funded officer training rooted not in tactics, but in empathy?

Cantrell connected him with Crescent City Corps, a local nonprofit already piloting such an approach. Their model was simple but ambitious—equip police officers with leadership tools, emphasize equity, and build trust. The bones of the program were already in place. Jordan’s support gave it reach. He kept it quiet at first. For six months, no press releases. No photo ops. Just work. Jordan marched in protests, donated $120,000, and committed himself to learning. Not performing. Learning.

And this was just one of the many things he did for New Orleans. He knew his impact could extend far beyond edge rushes and locker room speeches. And so did the city.

Retirement or not, Cam Jordan will forever be a Saint

Jordan is returning, yes. As reported in March, the 35-year-old agreed to a reworked contract to extend his Saints tenure for one more season. And the news was far from a shock. He had 13 straight years without missing a game due to injury until 2023, 100-plus sacks, six playoff runs, and he rarely broke form.

You see, Jordan never needed a change of scenery to prove his worth. Fourteen years in New Orleans have yielded 121.5 sacks, 716 tackles, 233 quarterback hits, and six seasons with double-digit sack totals. He’s one of the few modern edge defenders whose production came without ever chasing a ring elsewhere, or chasing anything at all. He stayed. He endured. He became the face of a franchise in flux.

But if you ask those around the building, they’d say Jordan’s best season wasn’t necessarily the one with the most sacks. It was 2017 — the year the Saints re-emerged from mediocrity, and the year Jordan reasserted himself as one of the most complete defensive linemen in football. From 2017 to 2020, New Orleans won four straight division titles and averaged nearly 12 wins a year. Those Saints teams never got their confetti moment, but they were as complete and consistent as any contender in the league.

Sure, the move for his extension was made possible by a reworked contract that gives the Saints some desperately needed cap relief while keeping one of the most respected voices in the locker room right where he’s always been. But maybe for Jordan, it has always been more about the mere numbers on his contract. So, when he was asked about legacy, Jordan had told SI, “I’ll worry about that when they start building statues.” And, after May 8, that may not sound far-fetched.