Dion Jordan’s NFL career didn’t go quite as planned.
Drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 3 overall pick in 2013, after a surprising trade that sent Miami’s first and second rounders to the Raiders in exchange for that third overall pick, Jordan was once heralded as the next big defensive talent.
Yet, his time in Miami was marred by massive disappointment.
Jordan played only two seasons for the Dolphins, recording a total of just three sacks.
His struggles extended beyond the field; he missed an entire season due to a repeat violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
After leaving Miami, he spent several seasons with teams out west, but his performance never lived up to the lofty expectations and Dolphins fans have never forgiven both the decision to trade up in the draft for him nor his inability to deliver.
Now 34 years old and coaching college football, Jordan has openly reflected on his tumultuous early career.
In a candid interview on “The Fish Tank” with ex-Dolphins receiver O.J. McDuffie and former media relations coordinator Seth Levit, he admitted, “I didn’t have my life in order. My life outside of ball wasn’t in balance. You know, it wasn’t what it needed to be to match all of that stuff and I struggled, dude. I struggled coming in. I struggled understanding the plays and the playbook.
“When I left the facility, it didn’t help because I’m out partying. I’m enjoying the money I have and I’m just putting myself behind the eight-ball. I’m hurt, you know. Sometimes I’m missing my rehabs, so that’s not helping.”
Jordan now channels his experiences into coaching defensive linemen under ex-Dolphin Randy Starks at Eureka College in Illinois, using his story as a cautionary lesson.
“Ain’t nobody else’s fault,” he said, acknowledging his own responsibility for his early missteps. “And look, I watch these kids now and I realize what I was messing up.”
Remarkably, despite his underwhelming on-field performance, he recalls receiving unexpected support from Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
“He would always find a way to get to me, wherever I was,” Jordan said. “At the end, when I had to say bye, he was the last person I had to say bye to. He’s a real good dude… he got a lot of money, but he’s still human. He cares, I can tell you that much.”
This honest reckoning with his past serves as a powerful warning, and now, Jordan appears on the path to his own redemption by helping others from the sidelines hopefully avoid the pitfalls he once fell victim to.
