Saints Pro Bowl DE Has Unique Message for Broncos HC Sean Payton

Does Sean Payton smell "blood in the water" as the Denver Broncos head to New Orleans?

Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 3-3 Denver Broncos are hitting the road on a short week to play the 2-4 New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. It’ll be Sean Payton's first return to New Orleans since the Saints officially traded their former Super Bowl-winning and most successful head coach in franchise history less than two years ago. 

Saints eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan knows what his former head coach aims to do this week and what he's about. Jordan forecasted Payton's return to the Big Easy amid the Saints' four-game losing streak. 

“He’s going to be fired up. Everybody in this building knows who Sean Payton is," Jordan said. "If he sees blood in the water, he’s going to try and go take advantage, and that’s always been his M.O. So, we’re not helping deter that at this point, with this last game we put on.” 

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Jordan is referring to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 51-27 drubbing of the Saints on Sunday. Baker Mayfield threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns, while the Bucs also rushed for 277 yards and two more scores against New Orleans.

Saints starting quarterback Derek Carr sustained an oblique injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5, ushering rookie fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler into the starting lineup. The rookie went 22-of-40 for 243 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions, in his NFL debut last week.

New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen previously served under Payton as defensive coordinator before being elevated to head coach in 2022. But thus far, Allen has made history for all the wrong reasons. The Saints are the only team in the league since Allen took over for Payton as head coach with a positive point differential (+80) and a losing record (18-22). 

Translation: the Saints can win by big margins in decisive victories but when they lose, most of their defeats are by one or two-possession margins. This sounds eerily familiar to Broncos fans.

Payton drafted Jordan in 2011 with the No. 24 overall pick out of California. The 6-foot-4, 287-pound defender has earned numerous accolades under Payton and Allen’s leadership.

In 2024, Jordan has been credited with just six tackles (two solo), one QB hit, two pass deflections, and one interception. He's still searching for his first sack of the season. 

At the NFL Honors ceremony back in February, Jordan serenaded the masses with a rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s hit song ‘Breakaway.' The star defensive end started with, “I’m singing to my old coach,” in a comedic, good-spirited spoof.  

There’s no doubt that Payton and Jordan shared a wealth of success in New Orleans for many years. But history accounts for nothing when Payton leads the Broncos into the Bayou for a clash with the Saints on TNF. 

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