(NEW ORLEANS) — Cam Jordan is a household name for the work he puts in on the field, but he does just as much off of it.
Cam Jordan is a busy man. Playing for the Saints, his scheduled is packed with practice, training, film study and game days. He’s been volunteering his time every Tuesday since he first signed with the Saints in 2011.
“This is my day off, got to come out to the community,” he said with a smile.
Cam’s listed at 287 pounds, but he blends in at schools in New Orleans because he’s kind of a big kid himself.
“Growing up, I watched my father do it my entire life and when I had the opportunity it just made perfect sense,” he said.
As a child, Cam Jordan witnessed the power of giving back by watching his dad Steve Jordan, who played for the Minnesota Vikings. His father started the tradition, but he took it to the next level.
Cam started volunteering throughout college and at least once a week as a pro with the Saints. He keeps his focus on children, reading to them, visiting them in the hospital and teaching them the fundamentals of football, even with three kids of his own.
“It doesn’t matter how hectic a schedule gets, this is a main stay, this is a part of who I am,” Jordan said. “As important as football is to me, this is right along with football.”
And everyone at Boudreaux Elementary is thrilled.
“That’s really awesome because he certainly doesn’t have to, but we appreciate it,” Greer Palmisano, PE teacher, said. “These kids need a lot and it makes them feel special when people do stuff like that for them.”
There’s a lot of smiles, but the kids take their football drills pretty seriously. Especially when there’s an Atlanta Falcons jersey on the tackling dummy.
“They’re the future, it’s not just a saying,” Jordan said.
On the field Cam Jordan doesn’t want the other team to gain a yard—but these children—he wants them to score big. And that makes him one of our Neighborhood Heroes.