“Don’t count us out. Here we come!” Tyreek Hill gave a bold message after winning over the Rams on Monday night. The Miami Dolphins made a spectacular comeback with a 23-15 win, and a major credit for this goes to veteran DT Calais Campbell, who was brought by GM Chris Grier in June this year.
And the results are fruitful! With three passes defended, one of which turned into an interception, and one sack, Campbell delivered continuous pressure on the opposition. However, it’s interesting to note that the veteran player earlier said that this season might be his last. But after the game, the 38-year-old sang a different story. So, the question is, will Calais Campbell retire?
The same question was asked by the curious reporters on Thursday to the defensive tackle. During a presser, Calais Campbell, via FinsXtra on X, said about potentially playing next year: “When the off-season comes, I’ll figure out next year when that comes… if the off-season comes and I feel good still, then we’ll figure it out then.”
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So, with these statements, it seems like Campbell is taking it one season at a time. And he will make future decisions based on how he feels in the moment. So, we will have to wait and see what unfolds next. Until then, for this season, Calais Campbell feels – “God is good. I’m blessed. I’m happy. I’ve been healthy. I go out there and give it my all. Working really hard in the offseason to get in football shape. I love it, and I’m glad that God’s blessed me to still do it. And I’m going to ride it until the wheels fall off.”
This shows that Campbell might consider retirement in his supposed 18th season in the league. If he does so, Chris Grier, who replaced him for Christian Wilkins, will be again forced to find a suitable replacement for Calais Campbell. And it definitely won’t be an easy task.
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Is Calais Campbell the Tom Brady of defense, or is it time for him to retire?
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On the other hand, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is also on the hot seat because of his continuous concussion scare. In his NFL career, he has sustained three concussion injuries, hence, due to his injury-prone body, many are speculating that he might retire soon. But will he? While speaking to the media, the quarterback said, “It never stuck in my mind that I was ever thinking of retiring.” He even clarified that – “If they (doctors) would have told me that I couldn’t play, I would have definitely taken that into consideration, but there were no talks like that.” Hence, it seems he isn’t going to retire anytime soon, at least because of head injury, as he don’t want to be the “poster boy” for concussions.
Nevertheless, GM Chris Grier might have another stress if Calais Campbell retire next year. Given that the 38YO is so good, he helps open things up on the edge in the games.
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Calais Campbell is ‘Brady’ of DL!
Yes, you heard it right! On Wednesday, during a press conference, Miami Dolphins’s head coach, Mike McDaniel referred to Calais Campbell as “Tom Brady of defensive linemen.” He expressed, “I think he’s such a unique individual because he’s an outlier. I call him like the Tom Brady of defensive linemen. How do you play the game week-in, week-out for that long of a career? And to do it in the trenches from the one to the five, literally lining up on the center all the way out to the tackle? It’s supremely impressive. But at the same time, it’s not only his performance. But he’s the consummate team guy that knows how to thrive in tough situations.”
That’s the highest praise from the coach you can get. Hearing that flattered Campbell. He expressed his gratitude for the coach’s trust and support. However, he also acknowledged that football is a result-driven sport, where each week a player has to prove all over again. Otherwise, opinions can quickly change, so Campbell is determined to prove himself every week. This is evident in his statement after the win over the Rams: “So it’s one game, but we’ve got to keep it going. For us to go where we want to go, we’ve got to keep fighting and believe.” Now that shows a true veteran player quality!
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Campbell has played 9 games this season, and has recorded, via StatMuse, 25 solo tackles, and three sacks. Overall, the DT has played with 5 teams in his 17 season-career and has “has had 641 solo tackles, 255 assists, 108.5 sacks, 13 fumble recoveries and 3 interceptions.” In addition to that, Calais Campbell has also been selected in 6 Pro Bowls in his NFL career, even getting awards like the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
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Is Calais Campbell the Tom Brady of defense, or is it time for him to retire?