Calais Campbell: Cardinals signed me to be a leader, I don't take that lightly
In what may be the last year of his career, Calais Campbell has signed with the Cardinals, the team that drafted him in 2008. Campbell will turn 39 before the season starts and is the oldest defensive lineman in the NFL, and he recognizes that he was brought in to be a leader.
'I know when GMs and decision-makers [sign me], they're looking for me to come into a building, I mean, they know that I come with a lot of leadership capabilities and prestige that a lot of the young guys respect, which is really cool,' Campbell said, via ESPN. 'And, so, I don't take that lightly. I mean, I take that with a lot of pride and I try to do best I can.'
Campbell, whose honors have included the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and the NFL Players Association's Alan Page Award for community service, says that leadership comes naturally to him.
'I mean it's kind of been who I am anyway,' Campbell said. 'I don't think I can go somewhere and not be that.'
Campbell acknowledged that at 39 he'll need a few more plays off than he did in his prime, but he started 17 games for the Dolphins last year and thinks he can start every game for the Cardinals this year. And even when he's not on the field, he'll be contributing as a leader.
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