Matt Ryan has been sacked a pretty good amount throughout his NFL career -- 369 times, to be exact, which is a top 25 all-time figure -- and 2019 was no exception. He led the league with a career-high 48 times sacked. It's not quite at the level of David Carr, who was sacked 76 times in 2002 and 68 times in 2005, but it's definitely up there.
A big reason for that? The Saints' fearsome defensive front led by Cam Jordan, who recorded 15.5 sacks in 2019, his third consecutive season and fifth total season with double-digit sacks. The five-time Pro Bowler had an especially memorable game against the Falcons in Week 13 of last season, sacking Ryan a career-high four times and, in doing so, becoming a part of NFL history.
Cameron Jordan made some more history that Saints fans will enjoy. In addition to hitting career highs with 4 sacks in a game and 13.5 in a season, he has now sacked Matt Ryan 18 times — most by any player against any QB since sacks became a stat in 1982, per Elias Sports Bureau.
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) November 29, 2019Ryan Hinton, the host of the #SaintsTwitter podcast, brought up the memory on Monday, calling it one of his favorite stats. And Jordan couldn't help but agree, additionally calling out Matt Ryan in the meantime with a hilarious tweet.
No NFL player has a sacked a Quarterback more than @camjordan94 has sacked Matt Ryan, in league history. One of my favorite stats
— Ryan (@datboywolf) July 20, 2020Mine tooo!!! Idk his @ lol nvm found it just like I’ve found him the last 18 times! @M_Ryan02 let’s get to 20 this yr my good sir!!!-- let’s do this together? https://t.co/s2xhguX0HG
— cameron jordan (@camjordan94) July 20, 2020It wouldn't come as a surprise if Jordan does, in fact, get a couple more sacks on Ryan this season. Pro Football Focus mentions how the 2019 Falcons posted their worst pass-blocking and run-blocking grades since Matt Ryan arrived. Jordan, on the other hand, had potentially his best season in New Orleans, and Sean Payton knows he's something special (video above). It's just as likely to be a matter of Jordan's effectiveness past the age of 30 as it is to be an issue of Ryan's days being numbered that would prevent Jordan from extending this record much further.
The record was co-owned by Dexter Manley (17.5 sacks on Phil Simms) and Bruce Smith (17.5 sacks on Ken O'Brien) before Jordan became the sole record holder (via Triplett).
