From NFL All-Pro To Major-League All-Star - athlete Brian Jordan - Brief Article

Ebony, Sept, 1999

Atlanta Braves outfielder is displaying just as much talent in baseball as he did in football

IF you ask Brian Jordan, he'll tell you that football is his first love--has been since he was growing up in Baltimore, where he became a three-sport star in high school. But despite that love for the gridiron and the ability that made him an All-Pro in the National Football League, he gave it up because of the risk of injury and began a career in baseball, believing he could play longer and secure a better future for his family.

Such a decision was by no means an easy one to make, but it wasn't an agonizing one either. "I think about football," Jordan says, "and then I think about the pain you feel on Mondays and thoughts about [playing] football quickly go away."

Football's loss clearly has been baseball's gain. Not only is the right fielder the heart and soul of the Atlanta Braves lineup, he has distinguished himself so well that he was named to this year's All-Star team. And when he was introduced at Boston's Fenway Park, it was the realization of a dream and the highlight of a still-blossoming baseball career.

To get to this point, though, Jordan, now 32, had to take a circuitous route that included some rough and bumpy roads. He played baseball, football and basketball at Millford High School, becoming one of the most sought-after players by college recruiters. When he finally made his decision, he went to the University of Richmond, where he was named All-America in football and All-Conference in baseball.

Those credentials prompted the Buffalo Bills to pick Jordan in the 7th round of the NFL draft in 1989. But with so many veteran defensive backs already on the team, he was cut from the roster, opening the door for the Atlanta Falcons, who quickly signed him and teamed him in the defensive backfield with Deion Sanders. Somewhat embarrassed by Buffalo's actions, the sociology major brimmed with determination to prove that the Bills had made the wrong decision. Jordan developed quickly, finishing third in the NFL in tackles in 1990, and the following season he became a member of football's most elite group when he was named to the All-Pro team.

Ironically, after Jordan's best year in football, he quit. Unable to come to a contract agreement with the Falcons, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals to play baseball exclusively. To the surprise of some, during the time he was playing football, he continued to hone his baseball skills each summer in the Cardinals farm system. His Major-League debut came on April 8, 1992, with a two-hit, four-RBI performance. But he faltered at the plate, and by July he was back in the minor leagues--frustrated and threatening to return to football.

Once again, though, Jordan's determination paid off when he asserted himself even more to get back to the big leagues. Although his progress was slowed by injuries, he made it back, to the point that it took teammate Mark McGwire's record-setting home run season to overshadow Brian, who last year had a .316 batting average, 25 home runs and 91 RBIs.

Those numbers made him baseball's most attractive free agent last fall and prompted the Braves to sign him to a five-year, $40 million contract. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox describes Jordan as "the perfect mixture of power and speed," a player who can hit home runs, steal bases and cover a wide range in the outfield. But physical qualities aside, other observers say Jordan's best assets could be his aggressiveness and the strong will to win. "I think Brian plays the game a lot differently than most players, and I think that's because of his background in football," says Jordan's former manager with the Cardinals, Tony LaRussa. "He plays the game as hard as any player I've ever managed. A clutch player like Brian is hard to come by."

And what about that notorious level of determination? Perhaps no one knows about it better than Jordan's wife, Pam, whom he met at the University of Richmond and who is the mother of their two children, Brianna, 7, and Bryson, 5. At the university, she was the star of the women's basketball team and still exhibits some of the skills that brought her so much attention. But when Jordan challenges her to a game of H-O-R-S-E in the back yard, she says if he loses, they have to continue playing until he wins.

That desire to win has rubbed off on Jordan's teammates, who describe him as "inspirational," particularly because of his work ethic. Jordan says his efforts are designed simply to make him the best player that he can be. And while he chose not to follow in the two-sport footsteps of Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders (he saw what the wear and tear of that grueling endeavor did to their bodies), he is very comfortable with the road he has chosen to travel. "When all is said and done, hard work pays off," Jordan says. "I know that when my baseball career is over, I will have proven myself."