Days after the NFL sent down a half-million dollars in fines against the Saints organization, coaches and a player over a perceived "fake injury," Cam Jordan had a pretty simple explanation for why it didn't make a whole lot of sense.
The injury was very much real, and he's got an MRI to prove it. After initially fearing it was an ankle issue, it turned out to be a mid-foot sprain. He spent the whole bye week rehabbing it, and he's hopeful to be ready for practice on Wednesday.
"We've got four games left. I'm trying to turn the page. Although I feel like my name's low-key been slandered," Jordan said. "Like, I haven't played with more or less. And even then I went out, went to the tent, got taped up ... and went back to the playing field and finished the game."
The slander Jordan felt was due to his track record as it pertains to injuries -- he rarely leaves the field with them. He hadn't missed a single game due to injury in his 12-year NFL career until he suffered a significant eye injury earlier this season, and even that kept him out just the one week.
"In terms of how I play this game, and how hard I play this game, I was like, 'Yo, if this was a civil lawsuit, I'd countersue for triple the amount,' " Jordan said. "The amount of work that I put in and to being a part of the league. The amount of of honor I take in playing this game. That's why I also laugh at this."
The injury in question came after a 3rd and 17 snap with the Bucs trailing 16-3 with just over 7 minutes remaining. Jordan came just shy of sacking Tom Brady on the play, but the QB got it out for a 7-yard gain. Jordan lumbered near the line of scrimmage before dropping to a knee and calling for the trainers to attend to him on the field.
As this was happening, Brady and Bucs head coach Todd Bowles were at odds over whether to punt the ball or take a shot on 4th and 10 in their own territory. Brady was ultimately overruled and the Bucs punted the ball away. Jordan walked over to the injury tent, appearing to favor his foot, and returned later in the game.
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The NFL deemed that play to have been a fake injury intended on slowing down the Bucs offense, something the team and player have vehemently denied. They'll appeal the host of fines -- $350,000 against the team, $100,000 against head coach Dennis Allen, and $50,000 apiece for Jordan and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen. Dennis Allen confirmed Jordan was dealing with an injury, but wouldn't address the issue further on Monday.
Jordan said he initially thought it was a penalty for his hit on Brady, joking that he didn't "put a pillow down" for him to land on, a callback to criticism earlier in the year of NFL's propensity for soft roughing the passer calls.
"But no, it's because I got hurt and was trying to walk off the field," Jordan said. "And my team was doing the right thing by me by making sure that it wasn't anything more than what it was."
It was quite literally an insult added to injury moment, particularly after the Bucs overcome that 13-point deficit to win 17-16 in what was the most deflating result in an already deflated 2022 season.
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Health and safety issues have been a common theme in the past several seasons, particularly as they pertain to head injuries. But the emphasis on "fake injuries" is a new development. The NFL sent out a memo to leagues at the beginning of December outlining this exact type of enforcement in such circumstances. Safety Jessie Bates of the Cincinnati Bengals drew fines for his team on a similar play, as he comically fell to the ground after -- apparently -- identifying that his team was about to be called for having 12 men on the field.
The fines listed in the memo are what the Saints received, $350,000 for the club itself, $100,000 for the head coach, $50,000 for position coaches and a minimum fine of $50,000 for the player. Penalties could also include suspensions or fines, though in both instances those had no been levied. The Saints are no strangers to league discipline, most recently dealing with fines and docked picks due to issues following the league's COVID policy.
But Demario Davis put it best when pointing to the fact that while, sure, no one should be faking injuries, at what point is the league within its rights to tell a player he's not actually hurt? This is football, after all.
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"We know we play a dangerous game, nobody should be questioning if somebody gets hurt in this game," Davis said. "We're not allowed to talk about medical stuff. And therefore, people watching the game shouldn't be trying to do the same."