Cameron Jordan
Getty
36-year-old Saints veteran Cameron Jordan discusses potential retirement plans as training camp begins in New Orleans
Cameron Jordan and the New Orleans Saints appear to be heading toward the end of one of the most consistent and recognizable player-team relationships in modern NFL history. After 15 seasons together, the veteran defensive end is set to enter free agency, which marks a significant turning point for both Jordan and the franchise he helped to define for more than a decade.
Here’s what to know about the imminent conclusion to this iconic pairing.
After 15 Years Together, Cam Jordan and The Saints Appear To Be Parting Ways
Cameron Jordan, who was drafted by New Orleans in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of California, Berkeley, quickly developed into the cornerstone of the Saints’ defense. Over the course of his career in the league, Jordan has become synonymous with the franchise’s defensive identity as he has been able to both strategically and practically combine his elite pass-rushing ability with longterm durability and leadership on the field.
Eight-time Pro-Bowl DE Cameron Jordan, who has spent his 15-year career in New Orleans and had 10.5 sacks last season, will not have a new deal in place with New Orleans by next week and now will hit free agency for the first time in his NFL career, per sources. Jordan will play… pic.twitter.com/r5Q9sfk3am
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2026
Now at 36-years-old, Jordan has given his entire professional career to New Orleans – up until this point, at least. Adam Schefter broke the news on X that Jordan and the Saints franchise do not have a new deal in place for the first time in the defensive player’s career. This will be Jordan’s first time becoming a free agent as the NFL draft nears.
Cam Jordan Had An Impressive 2025 Season to Capstone on His Time With The Saints
Cameron Jordan
GettyNew Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan celebrates after getting a sack.
By the end of the 2025 NFL season, Jordan had accumulated 132 sacks, 763 tackles, and numerous franchise records while appearing in a historic 243 regular season games for New Orleans. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection has remained productive even in the later states of his career. In 2025, Jordan started in all 17 games for the Saints while recording 47 tackles, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and 15 tackles for loss – all of which are numbers that impact games at a high level and show that the veteran player’s tact and skill on the field are far from aging out of the league’s level of play.
Jordan has been a staple on the Saints’ roster for so many seasons that it seems unfathomable that he’d part ways with the franchise. Whether he ultimately signs with a different team or finds his way back to New Orleans, this is a major crossroads and turn of events in Jordan’s NFL relationship with the Saints. If this does spell out the end of Cam Jordan’s time with the Saints, then it closes a remarkable 15-year chapter that helped to define New Orleans’ NFL identity as a team in the league and as a community constant in the years following Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the area.