Last week, the New Orleans Saints re-signed their own in Cameron Jordan, as he was extended and given the most guarantees and average salary in NFL history for a defensive player his age – 34 years old.
On Friday, Saints defensive end Jordan agreed to a two-year, $27.5 million guaranteed contract extension that ties him to New Orleans through the 2025 season, his agents, Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The veteran pass rusher is the Saint’s all-time sack leader and eight-time Pro Bowler, as he will likely retire with the team that drafted him in 2011 as a first-round pick, a rare move for any NFL player regardless of age.
“I want to finish my career here,” Jordan said. “I want my storyline to be here. I would love it if my story has been drafted here, kept here, been here, and never played a season without guaranteed money here. That’s probably in a category of its own right there. The story is to let unfold, finish, and be here. So maybe Year 15, if there is a Year 16 [possibility], we’ll talk about it then. Probably won’t be.”
Jordan had his family in attendance when the Saints announced the deal and will follow in his father’s footsteps, as former NFL great tight end Steve Jordan played for Minnesota from 1982 to 1994 and is a part of the Viking’s ring of honor.
With new teammate Derek Carr, the former Raiders quarterback, the New Orleans veteran pass rusher said he was looking forward to possibly taking him back to Las Vegas to play Super Bowl LVIII in Allegiant Stadium this season. He also said he was excited that the Super Bowl is coming back to New Orleans for the 2024 season.
“And then hopefully by then I’ll be looking for my second ring,” Jordan said.
This is the fourth multiyear contract between Jordan and the Saints, as he signed a three-year, $52.5 million deal with $42 million guaranteed back in 2019 that lasted up to the 2023 season.
“Fourth contract technically,” Jordan said. “Really like the third earned. Everybody is granted that [first] contract. … Fourth overall, 13 years in, looking to play to Year 15, spoke it into existence at Year 8 or 9. Honestly to have my family behind me … I’ve been truly honored and blessed to enter a market like New Orleans, [which has] everything that you want as a football player.”
He surpassed Hall of Fame Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson as the franchise sack leader last year with 115.5 sacks and is second in the NFL among active players, behind only Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller (123.5). Jackson has the unofficial record with 123, but the NFL didn’t recognize his rookie season as individual sacks were not counted that year.
Jordan is looking toward beating that record this upcoming season, as he is just eight and a half shy.
“Earning the official record last year was a phenomenal milestone,” Jordan said. “I’ve still got to get that unofficial. We’ll talk about it later.”
The veteran New Orleans pass rusher can also get close to beating future hall-of-fame quarterback Drew Brees‘ record of most games played in a Saints uniform if Jordan can finish out his new contract playing. Brees has 228 games under his belt, while Jordan is at 192 games currently, slated to at least beat Jackson (195) and legendary Saints kicker Morten Andersen (196) this season to move into second behind Brees.
“It has been such a phenomenal and amazing experience that I couldn’t see myself being in anything but Black and Gold,” Jordan said.
As the projected second-ranked Saints player to play the highest number of games for just New Orleans, Jordan, the three-time All-Pro from California, has plenty of accolades to boast about as a likely future Hall of Famer.
