Calais Campbell facts for kids
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Campbell with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023
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| No. 93 – Arizona Cardinals | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | September 1, 1986 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 307 lb (139 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | South (Denver) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Miami (FL) (2004–2007) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 50 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Calais Malik Campbell (pronounced kah-LAY-iss; born September 1, 1986) is an American professional football player. He plays as a defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. The Cardinals first picked him in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Contents
- Early Life and High School Sports
- College Football Career
- Professional Football Journey
- NFL Career Statistics Overview
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and High School Sports
Calais Campbell grew up in Denver, Colorado. He played high school football at South High School. He was known as one of the best defensive end players in the country. During his high school career, he set a state record with 57 sacks.
Besides football, Calais was also a star on the school's basketball team. He was an All-State basketball player in his junior year. He also competed in track & field, throwing the discus and shot put.
Calais chose to play college football at the University of Miami. He had offers from many other top schools.
College Football Career
Calais Campbell started playing for the Miami Hurricanes in 2005. He had a great college career.
Key College Seasons
- In 2005, he played 11 games and made 24 tackles. He also had 2.5 sacks.
- In 2006, he had 55 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He even had three games with at least three sacks!
- In his last season in 2007, he made 50 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He also got his first college interception.
Calais graduated from the University of Miami in December 2007. He earned a degree in sociology.
College Statistics Overview
Calais played 36 games in college. He made 129 total tackles and 19.5 sacks. He also had one interception.
Professional Football Journey
First Time with the Arizona Cardinals (2008–2016)
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Calais Campbell in 2008. He was the 50th player chosen overall. He signed a four-year contract with the team.
Starting His NFL Career
Calais played in all 16 games during his rookie year in 2008. He made 28 tackles. The Cardinals had a great season, making it all the way to Super Bowl XLIII. Calais played in the Super Bowl, where the Cardinals had a close game but lost.
In 2009, Calais became a starting defensive end for the Cardinals. He had a strong season with 45 tackles and seven sacks. He got his first solo sack against the Seattle Seahawks.
Growing as a Player
Calais continued to improve each year. In 2010, he had 60 tackles and six sacks. In 2011, he had a career-high 72 tackles and eight sacks. He also got his first NFL interception that year. He even blocked three field goals!
In 2012, the Cardinals signed Calais to a big five-year contract. He kept making big plays, including two sacks against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
In 2013, Calais had nine sacks and two fumble recoveries. He also got his first career safety by tackling a quarterback in the end zone.
Pro Bowl Selections
In 2014, Calais was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He had 58 tackles and seven sacks. He also made his second career interception against Peyton Manning.
In 2015, Calais was selected for his second Pro Bowl. He had 61 tackles and five sacks. He was even reclassified as a defensive tackle, showing his versatility.
In 2016, Calais had another strong season. He made 53 tackles, eight sacks, and had an interception. He also scored his first career touchdown by recovering a fumble and running it back 53 yards!
Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2017–2019)
After nine seasons with the Cardinals, Calais became a free agent. He signed a four-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017.
"Sacksonville" Leader
In his first game with the Jaguars, Calais had an amazing performance. He recorded a career-high four sacks against the Houston Texans. This helped the Jaguars' defense earn the nickname "Sacksonville" because they got so many sacks.
Calais set a Jaguars franchise record with 14.5 sacks in 2017. He was chosen for his third Pro Bowl. The Jaguars made it to the AFC Championship game that year. He was also named the PFWA NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2018, Calais continued his strong play with 10.5 sacks and was named to his fourth Pro Bowl. In 2019, he had three sacks in one game against the Tennessee Titans. He also scored another touchdown by recovering a fumble. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the 2019 season. He was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Playing for the Baltimore Ravens (2020–2022)
In 2020, the Jaguars traded Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens. He quickly made an impact, getting his first sack as a Raven in Week 2.
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In Week 6, he had three sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors again. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the 2020 season.
In 2021, Calais played 15 games for the Ravens. He blocked a field goal in a key moment against the Colts, helping the Ravens win in overtime. In 2022, he re-signed with the Ravens for two more years. He blocked another field goal in Week 14 against the Steelers. He finished the 2022 season with 5.5 sacks.
Atlanta Falcons (2023)
In March 2023, Calais Campbell signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 6, he reached a big milestone, recording his 100th career sack! He also got a safety in Week 9. He finished the 2023 season with 6.5 sacks.
Miami Dolphins (2024)
Calais Campbell signed with the Miami Dolphins in June 2024.
Return to the Arizona Cardinals (2025–Present)
On April 1, 2025, Calais Campbell signed a one-year contract to return to the team that first drafted him, the Arizona Cardinals.
NFL Career Statistics Overview
Calais Campbell has had a long and successful NFL career. He has played in 261 regular season games. He has recorded 917 total tackles, 110.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. He has also scored 3 defensive touchdowns.
Career Highlights and Awards
Calais Campbell has earned many awards throughout his career:
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2019)
- PFWA NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2017)
- First-team All-Pro (2017)
- 2× Second-team All-Pro (2014, 2016)
- 6× Pro Bowl (2014, 2015, 2017–2020)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- NFLPA Alan Page Community Award (2024)
- Art Rooney Award (2022)
- Bart Starr Award (2019)
- 3× AFC Defensive Player of the Week
- First-team All-ACC (2006)
Personal Life
Calais Campbell was born in Denver, Colorado. He is one of eight children. His father, Charles Campbell, passed away in 2003. Several of his brothers also played college football. His brother, Jared Campbell, even played with Calais at the University of Miami and for the Arizona Cardinals.
Supporting a Teammate
In September 2024, Calais Campbell showed his support for a teammate, Tyreek Hill, during an unexpected situation. While driving to a game, Calais saw his teammate pulled over by officers. Calais stopped to see if he could help and stayed nearby to support his friend. He later explained that he wanted to make sure his teammate was okay. Both players were able to play in their game that afternoon.
See also
In Spanish: Calais Campbell para niños
