EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMETAIRIE, La. -- Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had his reasons for returning to New Orleans for one more season.The money was nice, although perhaps not what he thought it should be after a 10.5-sack season. The playing time would work itself out, as it has in the past.But the true push to get a one-year deal over the finish line came from his four children and his wife Nikki, who stood beside him as he signed what might be the final deal of his 16-season pro career.At the Saints facility on Tuesday, Jordan's kids approached the podium used for news conferences. Each had something to say about New Orleans, how they were born there and how much they wanted to be back."We love New Orleans. Clearly, it's clearly in them and it's been a part of me," Jordan said.A few months ago Jordan wasn't so sure there would be a New Orleans reunion. Jordan was coming off one of his best seasons in years and led the team with 10.5 sacks in 2025. He felt happy about the strides the young team took and approached this offseason with cautious optimism about a continued future.But the Saints allowed his contract to void, making him a free agent for the first time since he was a first-round draft pick (No. 24) out of California in 2011. He listened to offers and told former teammate Terron Armstead in March that he had three teams in consideration.The Saints had a standing contract offer on the table and kept Jordan's locker empty, essentially telling him that he could return home whenever he wanted. Jordan chose to wait before making a decision, saying publicly and privately that he wanted to be valued."When you get a phone call from your head coach like, 'Hey man, I want to respect your space, at the same time. Come on in.' And I'm like, 'You love the personal connections that you do have,'" Jordan said.Jordan had to admit that his options looked fairly bleak away from New Orleans. He had already limited his choices by crossing off any city that was too cold, and was adamant he would not go to a rival team such as the Atlanta Falcons. His age -- Jordan turns 37 on July 10 -- was likely a limiting factor as well."Every offseason is different. This would be the first one where I actually saw a free agency situation and as you're fielding phone calls and seeing the vision or lack of vision, it gets dark out there," he said. "There's opportunities and you literally have to sit and weigh your options and talk it out, think it out and figure out what the best move is."But even as Jordan tried to wait out his ideal situation and contract, he couldn't break that New Orleans connection. Every time he came back to the city, Saints fans would approach him and ask why he hadn't signed.When he was at his offseason home in Arizona, he received calls asking what the holdup was. Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee was checking in with Jordan every other week. New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara reached out every four days. His teammates on the defensive line regularly touched base, and even the quarterback connected."I talked to [Tyler] Shough four or five times this offseason. Pestering the hell out of me, honestly, about I'm signing back. ... I'm overly blessed and excited to be back with the team," Jordan said.Former teammates such as former Saints players Craig Robertson, Mark Ingram and Demario Davis had opinions about Jordan remaining unsigned. Even Pro Football Hall of Fame 2026 enshrinee and former Saints great Drew Brees had something to say."I think that says a lot in itself. One that we can't adapt to change. Two, because you see how I'm so involved in the community, I feel wrong to be in another city, not giving back to this city. At least that's how I looked at it," Jordan said. As May turned into June, school ended, the Saints began practicing without Jordan and his kids were over the uncertainty. Jordan said his oldest, Tank, told him he wanted to go back to New Orleans for his 11th birthday."About two weeks ago, he's like, 'Hey man, you're affecting our lives here,'" Jordan joked.It was that final comment from his son that made the older Jordan swallow his pride and give the Saints a call."When you look at these four beautiful kids growing up, their whole lives have been here, so they don't know how not to carry on. And when you have that conversation, I was like, 'All right, let me just humble myself here. Let's get this done.' Which is awesome because like I said, I've got so much intended for this city this upcoming year," Jordan said.Jordan didn't say how much he had to concede in contract negotiations, but did laugh off the idea of taking an offer from another team to the Saints to match."There was no match," he said, laughing. "But again, when it comes down to it, it's lifestyle. It's the idea that I could have played for the same team for my entire career. The loyalty streak has always run deep with me. And I think a couple years ago, me and Mickey [Loomis] sat down and was like, 'Look, man, the way you played, the way you managed yourself, you always have a job here.'"Now, it may not be what I think I'm worth or whatever it is, but it's always been the idea that we had an open line of communication."Jordan said he's going to treat this season as if it's his last, even though he has changed his mind on that before. In a perfect scenario, he said he'd walk into the sunset with a Super Bowl win and call it a career."After we win a Super Bowl? Absolutely," he said, when asked if he'd walk away after another season like 2025. "We win the Super Bowl ... I'll fill that goblet up and drink out of it and call it done. Like the Stanley Cup or something."
