A little-known receiver with lots of speed and only one year of college experience, Charles Jordan grabbed the football world's attention last Sunday when he caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Miami Dolphins past the Oakland Raiders. But his coach, Jimmy Johnson, has had his eye on him for a long time.
"Whenever I come in the (dressing room) with red on me, he says, 'You're wearing them colors, aren't you?' " Jordan said.
It's not because Johnson is worried about losing Jordan to the Chiefs.
Jordan is affiliated with a gang. To this day, he swears allegiance to the Swan Family Bloods of South Central Los Angeles. He has shot and been shot at, absorbing four bullets over the years -- in the stomach, hand, arm and leg. He has flashed gang signals on television, and when visiting his old neighborhood shares money from his NFL salary with gang members who make requests.
He gives cash only, of course. "I don't really ask what it is about," he said. "I just try not to get myself labeled with, 'OK, well since you gave him money, you've contributed to him buying the drugs, so you're a conspiracy to this and this' ... I ain't going to write you no check, know what I mean?"
Gang influence reaches into pros
ESPN SportsZone, December 5, 1997
When he was with Green Bay, coaches invented excuses to keep Charles Jordan from going home to his gang turf in L.A.