TEMPE — Too good to be true.
That was the thought when it was first reported defensive lineman Calais Campbell was returning to the Arizona Cardinals eight years after his departure.
The fact that the news dropped on April Fools’ Day didn’t help.
And if you would have told Campbell that before this past year, he would have likely thought that was bogus — even with fans and those who close to him in Arizona continually tossed out the idea.
Funny how things work.
Roaming the halls of the Cardinals training facility more than 3,000 days since his last snap with the franchise, Campbell made his long-awaited return to the organization Thursday. His smile said everything.
“Brings back a lot of memories.”
Calais Campbell on returning to Arizona for his 18th NFL season. pic.twitter.com/T9fMqCNzTN
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) April 10, 2025
“It means a lot. Bringing back a lot of memories, that’s for sure,” Campbell said Thursday. “Even just walking through the building, there’s just like so many memories pouring out of me. This is where I got my start. This is the team that believed in me and gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. And here we are all these years later and they’re still believing me, still giving me opportunity to live out my dream.
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“I’m one of those guys that love this game so much. I kind of have to wake up and pinch myself like, ‘Is this real? I still get to play football.’ But I feel like I’m still good at it, still dominant and I feel like I can really help this team.”
The Calais Campbell-Cardinals reunion that almost wasn’t
Despite calling Arizona home for nine seasons, registering 56.5 sacks and 107 tackles for loss along the way, reuniting with the franchise that drafted the second-round pick (No. 50 overall) in 2008 wasn’t on Campbell’s radar during his stints in Jacksonville (2017-19), Baltimore (2020-22) and Atlanta (2023).
During the 2024 NFL trade deadline, when Arizona was looking to acquire the six-time Pro Bowler, that thought finally crept in for real.
Calais Campbell is back in Arizona.
Said he started thinking about a potential reunion last year after learning the Cardinals were among the teams looking to trade for him. pic.twitter.com/TNiX8JvGod
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) April 10, 2025
“I didn’t really start thinking about coming back like officially — like really let myself think about that — until like last year at the trade deadline, they were one of the teams that were trying to trade for me.
“And so, I got it in my head like, ‘Dang, that would be cool to go back to Arizona.’ And this offseason, a lot of teams were interested, but when we got talking about all the different possibilities and stuff, this (place) just kept coming up. Among all my support system and family and everything else, it just made a lot of sense. I’m really happy to be here.”
And although Campbell is in the backend of his impressive NFL career — he told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke that he’s taking it one year at a time — all indications show the lineman’s still got plenty of game entering Year 18.
Since 2019, Campbell has registered at least 5.0 sacks in all but two seasons (4.0 in 2020 and 1.5 in 2021). That includes his five-sack effort with the Dolphins last year.
That being said, he’s not oblivious to Father Time as the defensive snaps have trimmed down.
“That was kind of a hard realization. it kind of happened gradually. It didn’t happen right away, but I mean there is a level of competitiveness where I feel like I could still dominate in a full ballgame. I’m sure if it was a playoff game or one of those big games and it was needed, I would do an OK job. But I know for me to be effective for a full year, I got to be smart.
“After playing 35 plays, I feel great. I got take care of my body and I feel like I’ve always felt after games. So, playing like 45, I’m like, ‘Dang, I feel so drained.’ So, it’s a lot of just biology, right?”
However much he plays, Campbell checks the requisite boxes for a Cardinals team that has loaded up defensively ahead of a big Year 3 for the current regime.
Not only does he provide a perfect starting option to fit defensive coordinator Nick Rallis’ rotation up front, Campbell also brings a trusted voice into the locker room and is focused on being a “value adder” to those around him.
Defensive lineman Darius Robinson is a sponge as it is. Can you imagine the impact the vet could have on the first-rounder?
“When GM and decision makers are looking for me to come into a building, they know that I come with a lot of leadership capabilities and prestige that a lot of the young guys respect. … I don’t take that lightly. I take that with a lot of pride and I try to do the best I can. I’ve always always been a servant leader.
“I want to just want to help guys. … At the end of the day, when you make a run, it’s because you’re playing good ball, you’re in the sync, you’re locked in, you’re playing together. That’s what matters.”
As for Campbell and the Cardinals realistically making that run in 2025?
Campbell also isn’t doing this for one last check before (potentially) riding off into the sunset as one of the franchise’s best.
“This team is way more talented than people give them credit for.”
Calais Campbell is ready to be a “value adder” to what Arizona is already doing.
The lineman also said he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t believe the Cardinals could make a run. pic.twitter.com/Yi0WxIBsMa
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) April 10, 2025
“I think can make a run. There’s a lot of factors that go into that, but I believe this team can make a run,” Campbell said. “I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think that was the case.”
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