Saints fans and Panthers fans have never seen eye to eye—and neither have their players. While the NFC South may be one of the weaker divisions in the NFL, that only amplifies the intensity and appreciation for its rivalries. And few embodied that rivalry better than Cam Jordan and Cam Newton.
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Both entered the league in the same 2011 draft class—Newton as the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina, and Jordan as a first-rounder to New Orleans. The two spent their prime years clashing twice a season, each trying to outdo the other.
Though they’re the same age, it’s Jordan who’s still active and thriving. Now the Saints’ all-time sack leader with 121 career sacks, his journey began memorably, ironically, at Newton’s expense. It was Week 17 of their rookie season, a 45-17 Saints blowout win over the Panthers, when Jordan finally broke through with his first NFL sack. After months of chasing quarterbacks and being denied by penalties, it was Newton he took down inside the Superdome.
Newton hasn’t played a snap since 2022, but when the two reunited for a conversation at Fanatics Fest on 4th & 1, Jordan didn’t miss the opportunity to bring up that milestone moment—and give the former MVP a friendly jab.
Jordan reflected on a frustrating rookie year where he thrived against the run but struggled to get to the quarterback. “I was doing everything right—except getting sacks,” he admitted. Penalties wiped away several would-be takedowns. But in Week 17, he finally got his moment.
” My rookie year, I only had like first sack. I had three sacks taken back by penalties. I had like another two, it was like intentional grounding. I had one sack at the end of the year, and I was searching for the next sack. In fact, you were my first sack. You know that. Game 16. I’m hungry, I’m feeding bro. I went to hit you in the Saints Dome, I hit you dead in the chest. I gave everything. Big hump, I was like hell, yeah. Boy, you ate it. It rolled out on me.”
Cam Jordan is entering the twilight of his NFL career, but he’s still holding the line for a Saints team trying to claw its way back to relevance. For most of his career, things looked very different. With Drew Brees under center, New Orleans was a perennial playoff contender, routinely winning 10 to 11 games a season.
Now, as Jordan gears up for his 15th year in the league, all he can be is hopeful. The Saints haven’t made the playoffs in four straight seasons and are in the midst of a rebuild, aiming to recapture the success of their past. Optimism surrounds the team, with a young core eager to prove itself, but with a new head coach and questions at quarterback, nothing is guaranteed.
That makes Jordan’s veteran presence more important than ever. As one of the last remaining links to the Saints’ golden era, his leadership will be crucial in steadying the ship and guiding this new-look team through uncertain waters.
