The Opening Drive, 8/19: Calais Campbell Opens Up, News & Notes Before Minnesota Trip
Plus, the Ravens add another veteran tackle, Jesse Minter offers a glimpse into his pressure philosophy and Jovaughn Gwyn continues to make his case.
The Ravens were preparing to head to Minnesota on Tuesday ahead of their joint practices with the Vikings, but there was still plenty of activity around the facility before they hit the road.
Baltimore added another veteran to the offensive tackle room, while Jesse Minter and defensive line coach Lou Esposito met with the media and offered a few interesting nuggets on some of the biggest storylines coming out of Saturday’s preseason opener. Most importantly, Calais Campbell stepped to the podium and spoke publicly about the incredibly difficult summer he and his family have endured.
Calais Campbell Speaks About a Difficult Summer
Before taking a single football question Tuesday, Campbell wanted to address something far more important.
For the first time publicly since the death of his mother, Nateal Campbell, Campbell spoke about what the past several months have been like for him and his family. He thanked the NFL community and fans around the league for the support they have shown before telling reporters he was “happy to answer any football questions.”
“I just wanted to say these last couple months have been pretty tough for me and my family,” Campbell said. “But [I’ve] been working through it and I really appreciate all the love and support and the prayers that have been coming from all over, really from all the NFL community, all the fan bases. So I appreciate the prayers. Continue praying for us because we need it.”
It was a brief but powerful acknowledgement from Campbell, who understandably has kept the details of an unimaginably difficult family situation private. From there, he turned the conversation toward football — something that has provided him with an outlet and a source of joy as he works through his grief.
When asked whether he had contemplated not playing this season following his family’s tragedy, Campbell explained why returning to the field remained important to him.
“I love the game of football a lot and it is a place [that] brings me joy,” Campbell said. “This is a very fun place for me to be. And so playing football has been great for me.”
The Ravens have allowed Campbell to work his way back at his own pace since he returned to practice earlier this month, and the 39-year-old veteran believes that approach has him exactly where he needs to be with the regular season approaching.
“I feel really good about where I am at,” Campbell said. “The coaches did a really good job of letting me kind of ease in and really kind of get myself where I need to be. September cannot come soon enough.”
That support extends to new defensive line coach Lou Esposito, who has spoken about what Campbell brings to his room both as a player and a veteran presence. For Campbell, though, Tuesday was about more than football. After an incredibly difficult summer, he made it clear that being back around the game and his teammates has become an important part of moving forward.
