Cam Jordan Suggests Saints Need 'a Culture Shock' After Failing to Reach NFL Playoffs

The New Orleans Saints last won the Super Bowl in 2009, two years before selecting defensive end Cam Jordan in the first round of the 2011 draft.

In 13 seasons with Jordan since then, the Saints have only once made it back to the NFC Championship.

That might indicate a need for change within the team's culture, Jordan said on Saturday's episode of the Around the NFL podcast.

"I've learned to not put my GM hat on," Jordan said (h/t NFL.com.) "I've played this game and it never worked out well. … You learn to shut the hell up and let the up top do what they're supposed to do. They're supposed to want more. We're three years dry of the playoffs. Maybe a culture shock needs to happen."

"I think there's a core group of our players that push positivity, whatever it is, and in fact I loved our locker room this year. But if our locker room isn't winning at a high rate, things are going to have to shake. One day they're going to be like, 'Hey, Cam. Your time, bud.' And I'll be like, hey, I hope the Saints keep on winning. Whatever it takes. I just want the Saints to win."

The Saints finished the 2023 season with a 9-8 record and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

The campaign marked an off-year for Jordan, who was not named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in seven seasons. He posted just 2.0 sacks, the lowest total since his rookie 2011 campaign, in 17 starts.

But Jordan, who at 117.5 career sacks is just 5.5 behind setting the all-time franchise record, spent parts of the season playing through an ankle injury.

Now he seems to be expecting a bounce-back campaign for both himself and his team in 2024.