After dealing with a family tragedy this summer, Calais Campbell enters his 19th NFL season feeling his mind and body are in the right place to play at the level he expects.
“These last couple of months have been pretty tough for me and my family,” Campbell said Tuesday during his first media session since the death of his mother, Nateal Cambell, on June 30.
“We’re working through it. I really appreciate all the love and support and the prayers that have been coming from all the NFL community, all the fan bases. I appreciate the prayers. Keep praying for us because we need it.”
The 39-year-old Campbell took some time off at the beginning of training camp and has been ramping back up into action.
“I’ve worked really hard. I feel really good about where I’m at,” Campbell said. “Practices have been going really well. I really like where I’m at right now. The coaches did a really good job of letting me ease in. September can’t come soon enough.”
Campbell was also asked about whether he considered not playing football this year given his family tragedy.
“I love the game of football a lot,” he said. “It brings me joy. The training was adjusted a little bit. But as far as football goes, it’s a fun place to be. Playing football has been great for me.”
Campbell needs just five games played to break Jim Marshall’s all-time record of 282 games for a defensive lineman, and enters the season ranked 25th on the league’s all-time sack list with 117. In 2025, Campbell had 6.5 sacks, 43 tackles and 16 quarterback hits for the Arizona Cardinals, and he’s thrilled to be back in Baltimore, where he spent three enjoyable seasons from 2020-22.
Head Coach Jesse Minter is glad to have Campbell’s presence back in the building.
“A tremendous leader, but a really good football player that will add a lot in normal downs, third downs, brings great versatility along the D-line,” Minter said. “Really happy that we have him.”