âI definitely had to learn not to take the game for granted...it's a completely different mindset."
-- Tight end Brevin Jordan
Jordan Grateful to be Back on the Field
CORAL GABLES, Fla. â His mother overnighted him some of his favorite homemade Korean meals in an effort to make him smile. Teammates and friends tried to boost his spirits.
But as the days turned into weeks last fall and the pain in his foot continued to keep him from the field, Brevin Jordan felt himself slipping farther and farther into the darkness.
Being away from the game was taking its toll on the gregarious tight end whoâd never, to that point, had to endure any kind of serious injury.
âIt was emotionally draining,â Jordan said simply.
There was hope in late November that, maybe, Jordan would be able to return to game-action in Miamiâs regular-season finale at Duke. Â But when he had to go full-speed on his first stretch play of the night, the tight end was overwhelmed.
He wasnât ready. His foot hurt. The pain was too much and when he came off the field and went to the bench, he was overcome with emotion and the tears flowed freely.
Ten months later, things are markedly different.
Jordan is, once again, healthy. And last Thursday night, as he ran through the smoke at Hard Rock Stadium to take the field for the Hurricanesâ season-opening win over UAB, the preseason All-ACC selection couldnât help but feel a sense of overwhelming gratitude.
He thought of Jeff Ruiz, Miamiâs director of rehabilitation, who had guided him through countless painful physical therapy sessions. He remembered how strength and conditioning coaches Jordan Barber and David Feeley had pushed him through tough workouts. And he recalled how nutritionist Kyle Bellamy, a former college athlete himself, had not only helped him get back into shape, but encouraged him when he wasnât feeling his best after enduring offseason surgery.
âRunning out of that tunnel, I got chills. It felt different,â Jordan said. âIâd had so many questions. Am I going to be alright? Am I going to heal in time to be back for the season? A lot of negative thoughts were running through my mind leading up to Thursday. Then I finally did it. I finally played. All the hard work paid off. The hours of being in the training room, the frustration, the tears, everythingâŠit all just came out when I played Thursday.â
The moment was equally as meaningful for Beverly Jordan, who flew to Miami from the Jordansâ home in Las Vegas to be there for her sonâs return to the field.
âWhen I tell you itâs amazing and God is good, I just canât even grab the words, honestly. He had to battle,â Beverly Jordan said. âPhysically, of course, we all know what itâs like to have to come back from surgery and go through rehab and evaluate your bodyâŠbut mentally, the whole ride was tough. Not being able to play in those games was hard. Heâs such a team player. Heâs such a competitor. I think, probably for him, it was one of his most challenging times to fight through mentally. He loves the game. He loves Miami. He loves the standard that Miami has been held to in the past and his whole thing was that he wanted to contribute. When heâs sitting on the sidelines and he canât help, thatâs really hard for him.â
Jordan did more than just help against the Blazers.
The junior â who last season was one of three finalists for the Mackey Award, which is given to the nationâs top collegiate tight end â snagged three catches for a team-high 51 yards in the Hurricanesâ 31-14 win.
His 4-yard touchdown grab in the final seconds of the third quarter gave the Hurricanes a 17-point lead and the Blazers would pull no closer in the fourth.
For Jordan, the goal now is to build on that first game back.
Though last yearâs foot issue was his first serious injury, heâs believes itâs on him to prove his durability and strength. He has a newfound respect for the process of taking care of his body, and is making sure he pays as much attention to soaks in the cold tub and massage sessions as he does to running drills on the field.
âDuring camp, I was trying to stay at the facility all day,â Jordan said. âI just wanted to do constant rehab on my body.â
And he believes the Hurricanes â with new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and quarterback DâEriq King â can be a force as they head into their ACC opener at Louisville on Saturday.
Whatever happens the rest of the way, though, Jordan knows he is going to appreciate every moment.
Having the game taken away, he says, changed him.
âI definitely had to learn not to take the game for granted,â Jordan said. âWhen I got hurt, I was like, âMan, I canât take going to practice for granted. I canât take going to the weight room for granted.â When I have those days, Iâm just like, âNo, I was just hurt a couple months ago.â Itâs a completely different mindset. A completely different mindset.â