Former Falcons Sack Leader Signs With NFC Foe

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell is going back to where his NFL career began.

The Arizona Cardinals team website reported Tuesday that Campbell will return to the desert on a one-year contract. Campbell played the first nine seasons of his career with Arizona.

While playing for the Falcons, Campbell was tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks in 2023.

Following his one year in Atlanta, Campbell considered retirement. Instead, he returned on a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins in 2024.

Campbell will be back for at least one more NFL season as he continues his pursuit for a Super Bowl ring. As a rookie in 2008-09, Campbell played in the Super Bowl for the Cardinals, but the team lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Over nine years with the Cardinals, Campbell hade two Pro Bowl seasons and made second-team All-Pro in 2014. Campbell then continued to get better in his early thirties. The defensive lineman made first-team All-Pro in 2017, which was his first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From 2017-20, Campbell made four consecutive Pro Bowls with the Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens. Campbell signed with the Falcons after three seasons in Baltimore.

Campbell will now return to where his NFL career started 17 years ago.

To gain an idea of how impressive it is that Campbell is still playing, just take a look at who the Falcons drafted in Campbell's draft class. At No. 3 in the first round, the Falcons picked quarterback Matt Ryan the same year Campbell went No. 50 overall to the Cardinals.

Ryan retired two years ago.

In 17 NFL seasons, Campbell has posted 110.5 sacks with 187 tackles for loss and 266 quarterback hits in 261 games. Campbell has also recorded 63 pass defenses, 18 forced fumbles and three interceptions.

During 2023, he registered 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, one pass defense and one forced fumble in 17 games with the Falcons.

In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Campbell won the 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.