Defensive lineman Calais Campbell completed his 16th pro season with the Falcons last year, starting every game for the NFC South franchise.
Turning 38 on Sept. 1, Campbell could have called it a career. But instead, he elected to sign with the Dolphins for season No. 17.
“I thought about [retiring],” Campell said in a video conference this week, via Nick Wilson of the Palm Beach Post. “I don’t think I thought about it very long though. … If you’re playing football at a high level, why not do it one more time? Just going through that process and trying to figure out if I really want to do it. It really just came down to just with the family, talking to the wife and kids.
“And it really came down to, do I want to go through the process of what it takes to be good again?”
Clearly, the answer to that question was “yes.” Campbell had a solid year with Atlanta in 2023, registering 6.5 sacks with 10 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits while on the field for 63 percent of the defensive snaps. He said he’s happy to keep playing because his desire and love for the game haven’t diminished.
“[N]ot even a little bit,” Campbell said. “I mean obviously, there was a time when I was a lot more fast and athletic, but I’m still pretty athletic and still can get the job done on the football field. I have to learn how to use other parts of my game, bring a lot more of the strength part but I still have enough finesse and everything else, I got a full box of little tools. But what keeps me going though is a love for the game.”
Campbell has recorded 105.5 career sacks with 175 tackles for loss and 254 QB hits in his 244 career games.
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/calais-campbell-thought-retiring-not-182847120.html
Author : ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports
Publish date : 2024-06-19 18:28:47
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