Eagles rookie's impressive debut overshadowed by moment that ‘he is going to be sick about'

Yahoo

2 days ago

PHILADELPHIA — When Eagles rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell dropped an interception during Thursday night's preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive tackle Jalen Carter smirked and safety Reed Blankenship raised his hands above his head.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean and offensive tackle Jordan Mailata were among those who gave Campbell a hard time afterward. Everybody was in disbelief.
A pass from Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning slipped out of wide receiver Isaiah Williams' hands and dangled in the air as Campbell dove for it. He got both hands on the ball, but it fell out after his back came off the ground. He slammed one fist into the turf and grabbed his face mask out of frustration.
'Oh, man. Jihaad Campbell is going to be sick about that,' Eagles color commentator Ross Tucker said on the television broadcast.
After the game, Campbell admitted that he was 'still upset' about not picking off Browning.
The Eagles' pick of Campbell with the 31st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was considered a steal. A shoulder injury caused the former Alabama star to slide further than expected.
Campbell has looked the part during practices and flashed great potential against the Bengals. His numbers (three assisted tackles) were not dazzling — an interception would have made things better. But his speed and physicality stood out. He was around the ball on a ton of plays, showing he could be a great playmaker for Philadelphia's defense.
'Shoulda, coulda, woulda, but I didn't,' Campbell said about dropping the interception. 'There's things to learn from. Got to catch it and turn my body so I can land on my back. So it's different pointers in that, you know, that I got to understand and just be a pro more so. Just keep on continuing to get better. That's all I can do.'
Rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson said he 'ripped' Campbell 'a little bit' for missing the pick and laughed about it. He's confident Campbell will get it next time.
'It was great, but I'm an overachiever, and I want to get back to the tape to watch the thing that I can self-assess on and get better,' Campbell said.
Campbell, a native of Erial, which is about a 20-minute drive to Lincoln Financial Field, had family in attendance, making the moment even more special.
During Philadelphia's pre-game warmups, he visualized making plays and seeing the fans during the game. The 21-year-old reminded himself to not 'get big-headed' and to not be afraid of making mistakes.
Overthinking his assignments would only lead to more errors.
'It's a day-by-day, step-by-step process,' he said about defensive coordinator Vic Fangio putting a lot on his plate. 'It's a big mountain that I got to climb. I'm willing to climb it every day, you know what I'm saying? For myself and for the whole team.'
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Campbell is 'doing a good job' and continues to get better every day, and Campbell's teammates agree. Soon, Campbell could develop into a dynamic playmaker for one of the NFL's best defenses.
'Jihaad is a violent dude out there on the field,' Robinson said. 'He's quick, too. Watching him on film, he's just flying around. He's not afraid to hit. I can tell you that. It's funny to watch him. We're out there in practice, and he might hit one of the starters or the ones on offense. I'm like, 'Ouu, man, maybe you shouldn't do that.' But it's just part of the game. When you're out there, you just want to do your part, you want to go make a play, and sometimes it happens. Those guys don't get too upset. They understand as well.'
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Cayden Steele may be reached at [e-mail]