New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan came through in a big way for his squad on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, sacking quarterback Mitchell Trubisky late in the first quarter to force a field goal try. It was Jordan’s sixth sack in seven games, and moved him above Pat Swilling in New Orleans’ all-time record books.
Swilling was one of several great linebackers to decorate the famous “Dome Patrol” unit on Saints defenses in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He racked up 76.5 sacks in 107 games with New Orleans; Jordan has now reached 77.5 sacks in 134 games. The only players ahead of him in team history are former Saints defensive end Wayne Martin (82.5 sacks) and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Rickey Jackson, who led the same “Dome Patrol” defense that Swilling once starred for, along with Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson.
If Jordan continues to produce sacks at this pace, he would finish the 2019 season with 85 sacks, which would see him rise above Martin to trail only Jackson himself. It speaks to the longevity and quality of each player’s career that we’re even having this discussion. It’s tough to imagine a better outcome for Jordan’s career, which began in 2011 as a first-round pick out of California. Considering the contract extension he signed this offseason to keep him in town through 2023, odds are good that Jordan can one day challenge Jackson’s high-water mark, too.
