In 2016, during the final year of Calais Campbell’s contract, the Arizona Cardinals were considered a favorite. “People started thinking we could do some damage, and I think we started believing that,” he recalled.
While the team finished with a disappointing 7-8-1 record, Campbell delivered a dominant individual performance with eight sacks, three fumble recoveries, and six pass deflections, earning a second-team AP All-Pro selection. Even after a 14.5-sack season in Jacksonville the following year, Campbell still considers 2016 the best of his career. Former teammate Frostee Rucker agreed, stating, “That ’16 season set him up for the success he’s having now, because he took his work level to the next level.”
A key motivator was head coach Bruce Arians, who was known for being hard on Campbell and occasionally calling him out in the media. Campbell now views this public criticism as more effective than any private conversation. “I don’t remember what game it was, but someone asked about my game. And he was like, ‘Well, he played good today but there are times when I don’t notice him on the field,'” Campbell said. “From that moment on, I made sure every time I played, I made my presence felt. Which is what his goal was. It made me a better player.”
Despite his on-field impact, the Cardinals front office saw a nine-year veteran and had already invested a 2016 first-round pick in defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche. Campbell recalled a candid meeting with owner Michael Bidwill about his impending free agency.
“He sat me down, (and said) ‘I really love you, think you are a phenomenal player, I have to listen to my advisers,'” Campbell remembered. “‘We feel you are going to get top dollar offers… and I don’t know if we can compete.’ I could feel the love. He knew I was a legacy guy and I have a lot of admiration for him being honest.”
Campbell made it clear he didn’t want to leave Arizona, even giving the team a final chance to match a massive offer from the Jacksonville Jaguars. “I think I was hoping for the Larry Fitzgerald treatment, you know, no matter what the cost we will keep you,” he said. “But Larry is different. He’s a different level.”
While his hometown Denver Broncos also pursued him, no team matched the Jaguars’ deal. In retrospect, the move became a turning point. “Sadly, it was the best thing that happened in my career because I got to play true D-end for the first time,” Campbell explained. “Because of who I am and my desire to play in that role, I was happy to be able to show that.”
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