CFL all-star Tevaughn Campbell felt more politics being a Canadian defensive back in the three-down league compared to the National Football League.

“I felt like I experienced it more here, to be honest, in the CFL in my first years. When I went down there, no one really knew who I was, so no one knew I was Canadian. Not a lot of people really knew I was Canadian until I had a conversation and told them I was Canadian,” Campbell told 3DownNation at the 112th Grey Cup.

“I feel like I faced more politics in the CFL being a Canadian corner in my early years and corners not really being a Canadian spot. American coaches would bring in their American guys and want their Americans to start. I feel like it didn’t really have much to do with ability at some times, but it had more to do with nationality.”

After blazing a 4.35 time in the 40-yard dash at the CFL Combine, Campbell was selected in the third round, 22nd overall during the 2015 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders. Following his rookie season, he was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in February 2016 for a fourth-round pick.

In August 2017, Campbell was traded by the Riders to Montreal in a deal involving three CFL Draft picks and Vernon Adams Jr. going to the Green and White. He played out that season with the Alouettes and signed a two-year contract extension in the offseason leading into the 2018 campaign.

“First day of camp, woke up in the morning, knock on my door, medicals were in the morning, and they’re like, ‘Alright, we’re going in a different direction. Thank you for your time.’ I didn’t even know who came to my door, I don’t know who it was, but I’m like, OK. I called my agent, my agent didn’t know, so I’m like, alright. None of my coaches knew,” Campbell said.

“When I came back, they re-signed me three months later in August, I remember going to my coach’s office, and he’s like, ‘Oh, hey, you’re back. You decided to play football again.’ I’m like, ‘What? They cut me.’ He’s like, ‘We didn’t know they cut you, we thought you left.’ And I’m like, ‘Nope.’ I don’t know. Never got an explanation.”

Kavis Reed was Montreal’s general manager at the time and 2018 was Mike Sherman’s lone season as a head coach in the CFL. The Alouettes went 5-13 and missed the playoffs in a year where the birds made a blockbuster trade for Johnny Manziel in late July.

According to Campbell, the Als signed him back midway through that season on a one-year contract and wanted to extend him again when the regular season was over, but he said no, instead opting to try his luck in the NFL.

The Scarborough, ON native spent six seasons south of the border from 2019 through 2024, which included stints with the New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He recorded 65 total tackles, seven pass knockdowns, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception over 37 regular-season games, 11 starts. While in the NFL, the six-foot, 200-pound cover man earned approximately $6.3 million USD.

“It really feels like you’re playing to survive every day, every week. They’ll bring guys in, you’ll see them working out new corners. It’s obviously not to say, ‘We’ll see how he is and then sign him next year.’ No, they’re looking for a guy that week, that day, that month. They’re always looking to replace you. They always tell you, they’re always looking for someone younger, faster, stronger than you. Every day you’ve got to work to be your best, even the top guys. The league’s crazy, you don’t know when you’re safe or not,” Campbell said. 

“It’s hard because you can’t really play as free as you want to play. Sometimes you play so free that plays just come to you, the big plays always see you and they find you. When you’re afraid to lose your job all the time, you’re playing so you don’t lose your job, you’re playing so you don’t mess up this play and don’t mess up that play, let me be in the right spot. It’s not so much, alright, I’m going to go make this pick, if I get it, I get it, if I don’t, I don’t. If you don’t get it, you might be going home that night — dinner on Delta.”

Campbell was released by Jacksonville after training camp in August 2024. He thought his playing career was over and seemed content to be a dad following child number three being born. However, CFL teams were calling, Saskatchewan being one. His agent told Canadian teams he was waiting for possible NFL interest, but another contract offer from down south never came.

That phone call following his Jaguars release led to Campbell signing with the Riders in January 2025. He tied for the three-down league lead with six interceptions and played a key role in the Green and White capturing the 112th Grey Cup, number five in franchise history. Saskatchewan even convinced him to play another year in 2026. Remarkable when you consider he thought his professional football career was over late in the summer in 2024.