Saints’ Cameron Jordan: ‘You’re Gonna Have to Ask Permission to Hit an Offensive Player’ Soon

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is in his 13th NFL season. In that span, he's seen a lot of players come and go, and he's seen a drastic change in how football is played.

Jordan arrived in the league just as the NFL player safety initiative began to change the landscape of the game. Since then, roughing the passer, hits on defenseless receivers, chop blocks and crack-back blocks have been outlawed. Now that outlawing the hip-drop tackle is becoming a discussion, Jordan is fed up with the NFL Competition Committee.

“I’ve never even heard of the terminology ‘hip-drop tackle,'" Jordan said on the Pardon My Take podcast.

“I thought it would’ve just been the Competition Committee. It’s gotta be a panel of guys that never played football and knows all the analytics. They always implement two or three rules that trap a defensive player.”

In fact, former NFL players -- and current NFL coaches -- Ron Rivera and Mike Vrabel are part of the committee.

Other members including Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Falcons CEO Rich McKay, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones all played college football. The lone non-football players are Giants owner John Mara and Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn.

Jordan is likely headed to the Hall of Fame as one of the best defensive linemen of his era with eight Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections.

However, he fears the NFL is devaluing defense now, and that the game could be headed in the wrong direction.

“I just figure at some point, in the next year or two, you’re gonna have to ask permission to hit an offensive player," Jordan said.

“It’s a league that’s always loved their offense. You knew that. It’s all about points. I’m sure fantasy football probably has a say in this, in my mind. I don’t know anymore, I just play the game.”