After Passing Him In All-Time Sacks, Cam Jordan Paid A Celebratory Tribute To The Late, Great Will Smith

Here’s a look at the tribute from the Saints IG. pic.twitter.com/YPpYOPVHL1

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) November 30, 2018

As I tried to wick the moisture from my eyes with a series of blinks, I came to the conclusion that I needed this. By "this", I do not mean a solid cry after watching the bizarro world Saints get served on national television, but rather a tug on the heart strings in the form of a sentimental reminder of exactly what this team is, which is a cohesive group that's got as much love for each other as they do the organization itself.

Much like Michael Thomas can be viewed as the new, improved, and more petulant version of the man whose celebration he quite literally dialed up in a victory over the Rams, Cam Jordan is - in a lot of ways - the 2.0 upgrade (or, perhaps more fittingly, the 'level up' adaptation) of the late, great Will Smith. Therefore, for both of them to pay their respects to the past, albeit in a mind, manner, and with a motivation that couldn't possibly be more different, says something special about this Saints' culture.

The truth is, there is a lot of Will Smith to be seen in the play of Cameron Jordan. The commitment to taking on a leadership role as someone who pays just as much attention to the grind of playing defensive end as the glory of it is almost uncanny. Tragically, the only ways in which to still see #91 are in either a highlight video or a moment of mourning. So, for lack of a better phrasing, it's pretty damn cool that the All-Pro face of a resurgent defense has both an appreciation and an athletic resemblance to someone who represents the highest high and the lowest low in franchise history. On a night in which the eyes of the Who Dat Nation grew shockingly sore, seeing that patented flex get pecked in the opposing backfield certainly was a sight for them.

Credit to Cam Jordan for...well...being exactly who Cam Jordan has been, both on and off the field, since he arrived in New Orleans, and Rest In Peace to the Super Bowl champion who kissed that massive bicep many a time in mapping out a blueprint for how to best do so.