Cameron Jordan Nominated For NFL’s Walter Payton Man Of The Year Award

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan was nominated for a special award on Thursday.

Jordan was among the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

The award, honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field, has been given out since 1970, previously called the NFL Man of the Year Award from 1970-1998.

Beginning in 1999, the award was renamed to honor former Chicago Bears great Walter Payton, who died in 1999.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees won the award in 2006, along with San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, while former Louisiana Ragin' Cajun defensive back Charles Tillman won the award, as a member of the Bears, in 2013.

Among the other 31 nominees include former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, now a member of the Arizona Cardinals, along with three former Saints players; tight end Benjamin Watson (Ravens), receiver Kenny Stills (Dolphins), and safety Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles).

The son of former NFL tight end Steve Jordan, Cameron Jordan has been involved in many activities at schools around the New Orleans area, including program focusing on education, literacy, anti-bullying. and physical fitness.

On the field, Jordan has been tremendous.

A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jordan, who was the 24th-overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, played five years for the Saints, from 2010-2014.

The 6-foot-4, 287-pound Jordan played in all 16 games, including 15 as a starter, at defensive end as a rookie in 2011, while compiling 18 tackles, including one sack.

In 2012, Jordan once again played in all 16 games, all as a starter, generating 41 tackles, to go along with 8 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

During 2013, a season in which he was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time, Jordan totaled 29 tackles, to go along with a career-high 12 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

After a little bit of a drop off in 2014, where he slipped to 31 tackles and 7.5 sacks, Jordan rebounded with another Pro Bowl year in 2015, compiling 32 tackles and 10 sacks.

After another good year in 2016, in which he totaled 58 tackles and 7.5 sacks, Jordan may be having the best season of his career this season.

Prior to Thursday night's game against the Falcons, Jordan had compiled 52 total tackles, which puts him on pace to have 70, which would be a career-high. He also has 10 sacks, which puts him in the top 15 in the league, and on pace to compile 14, which would be another career-high.

In 9 seasons in the NFL, all with the Saints, Jordan has not missed a game, appearing in 109, while starting 108, accumulating 345 tackles, 56.5 sacks, and 9 fumble recoveries.