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Even though the NFL season is over, the grind never stops — especially for New Orleans Saints’ DE Cam Jordan.
Dedicated to the game both in-person and with the sticks, Cam Jordan is just as passionate about football as he is about his sneakers. From bringing in his own sourced fabrics for PEs to pushing the questions and limits of designs for his footwear, Cam Jordan doesn’t just live up to the Jordan Brand legacy — he lives & breathes it.
Learn more about what it means for the Saints’ Defensive End to be a part of the Jordan Family as well as him talking about his excitement for the all-new NFL Rivals game, designed for you to make your own dynasty.
Nice Kicks: You’ve been in the league for over a decade and became a member of the Jordan Brand family just a few seasons ago. What’s it like for you to be at this stage of your career as an athlete but also an athlete with a sneaker endorsement deal?
Cam Jordan: The love for shoes has always been there.
My mom told me growing up you can have Jordans one of two ways, you buy them or Jordan pays you to wear them. I’ve done both now. It’s one of those DJ Khaled moments. Who would’ve thought? God did!
The fact that I can get nostalgic about my first pair of Jordans. There are these moments of relevancy. It’s crazy that you have those interconnected moments with these shoes.
It’s not a brand, it’s a lifestyle.
NK: Do you have any early memories of trying to get them? Or a favorite pair you had before you joined the Jumpman?
CJ: I grew up wanting Js, wanting SBs.
My dad played in the league, and I remember growing up and asking, “dad why don’t I have cool shoes?” I was 14 with a size 15 shoe.
I didn’t get my first pair of Js till I got to college with the Air Jordan 4 “Black Cats” and I wore those things till they weren’t worth a damn thing. We used to rock SBs [growing up] because they looked like 1s and were half the price. Now I’m trying to go back and find my OG SBs and I can’t find them. I had some heat.
NK: As a Jordan brand NFL athlete, do you have any favorite moments or stories?
CJ: I’m the first NFL player to rock the 2s as cleats. I snagged a pair, did what I needed to do with them, got them as a promo pair, and told myself I was going to reveal them regardless. Last year at the Pro Bowl, I had my son bring them out in a box. Crispy, all-white 2s.
This year, I had on these pristine 2s that I had brought fabric from Egypt. I went to Cairo last year, sent it to Jordan Brand, they mixed it up, and they went crazy on this gold, Egypt-inspired Air Jordan 2s from Cairo.
They love the idea of teamwork.
NK: The Air Jordan 2 has had itself a solid year and change. How do you feel about the popularity of the silhouette now?
CJ: The Jordan 2s have been one of my favorite silhouettes since the Just Don x Air Jordan 2s dropped. They dropped, and I was like bruh this is a luxury shoe.
The Air Jordan 1 is an everyday shoe. You’re stepping in the 2s. Now everyone’s going to be on them, it was the best-kept secret. I’m happy for them but I’m not. I’m conflicted.
NK: We know Jordan Brand takes care of its athletes. Has there been a shoe that you received that blew you away?
CJ: The Aleali May x Air Jordan 1s. They’re for women but they found a 16.5W for the kid. It was fire.
We’re gonna splash out. It feels to walk around in them. That velvet backing. That silver goes crazy. It’s not gold, but I’m good with it.
NK: Back to the gridiron, is there a favorite retro you like to play in?
CJ: I really like the 1s in terms of how they put the cleat together. It feels the best. I lace them up and they grip the heel and the foot the way they need to. I feel faster in 2s. I like the 10s too.
Whether it’s a 1, a 2, or a 10, I’m overly confident in my ability to turn the corner without looking at the cleat. I know we’re good.
NK: Gaming culture has taken over a lot in the last few years. How will NFL Rivals cultivate its own culture?
CJ: You’ve always had the Call of Duty’s and the Smash Bros. But now you have games like NFL Rivals where you can be the GM of your very own franchise. It’s its own arcade-style game where you can collect players and dominate rivals.
When it launches, it’s going to take off because it’s that 9v9 that you’re looking for. It’s that gridiron game you grew up watching. It’s that Blitz 2.0-style vibe where you’re really getting after it. It’s going to be insane once you start collecting and playing.
You can hit a quarterback and not get hit with three flags. They’ve created a game that can be its own environment. Big on gaming, big on community. Love the intersection of the two.
NK: What component of NFL Rivals excites you the most?
CJ: Fans should look forward to this.
I’m here for these hands. Being a player myself, I like to create my Super Teams. The Warriors have done it, the Suns look like they just did it, and now it’s my turn.
Once NFL Rivals takes over and I become my GM, I’m gonna bring DOGs back like Drew Brees or Mike Thomas with Davante Adams. I’m going to go crazy. I’m going to try to put myself in the offense too.
NK: You’ve gone from wanting to buy Jordans to now designing your own PEs. You’ve gone from Arizona to California and now to New Orleans. Have you seen your sneaker taste change if at all?
CJ: The only thing that has changed about me is what I’m able to get access to. We all want the drops. And just like NFL Rivals, the drops are always highly coveted. You look for drop dates and how it’s coming out. I wasn’t able to get access to some of the stuff that dropped in college. Once I got to the league, I got more love and found more ways.
The only thing that’s changed is access.
Learn more about NFL Rivals ahead of the launch. Keep it locked on Nice Kicks on Instagram and be sure to check out our Air Jordan Release Dates page for all the latest info and updates.
