Tag: Calais Campbell

Jonnu Smith says Dolphins teammate is ‘LeBron James of the NFL’

“The guy is 1,000 years old and playing like he’s 21.”

LeBron James will turn 40 next month, but the NBA legend’s production on the court doesn’t show it. The Los Angeles Lakers star is averaging 23.3 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game so far in his 22nd career season.

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith says there’s a player on his team that has managed similar age-defying play.

“Calais [Campbell] is one of my favorite teammates in all the sports I’ve played,” Smith said Monday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “He’s like the LeBron James of the NFL right now. As far as his age and the production that he brings to the game, still playing at a high level. The guy is 1,000 years old and playing like he’s 21.

“The best leader I’ve been around. Good dude, good person, deserves everything that’s coming to him.”

Campbell, 38, recorded his fourth sack of the 2024 season in a 34-19 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. It brought his career total to 109.5, moving him into a tie for 29th all-time. With two more sacks, he’d pass fellow future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald for 28th.

The Dolphins signed Campbell to a one-year, $2 million contract in the offseason. In August, he revealed it was “the cheapest offer” he received “by a large margin,” but he took the deal because he believed in the team.

When the Dolphins spiraled to a 2-6 start to the year, they reportedly received calls from other teams looking to acquire Campbell before the midseason trade deadline. But Miami spurned those offers to keep the 17th-year defensive lineman.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Ravens’ reunion with Calais Campbell fell through at the trade deadline

The Baltimore Ravens were busy ahead of the NFL trade deadline this season, acquiring both wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers and cornerback Tre’Davious White from the Los Angeles Rams. It has been reported that the Ravens were …

The Baltimore Ravens were busy ahead of the NFL trade deadline this season, acquiring both wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers and cornerback Tre’Davious White from the Los Angeles Rams. It has been reported that the Ravens were in on other players, including cornerback Marshon Lattimore and defensive end Calais Campbell.

NFL Insider Albert Breer reported that Baltimore offered the New Orleans Saints a third-round pick for Lattimore but was outbid by the Washington Commanders in the end. Breer added that the Ravens had a deal to reunite with Campbell in a trade with the Miami Dolphins that ultimately fell through.

Campbell signed with the Dolphins this offseason, hoping to compete for a Super Bowl. Still, mainly due to a concussion sidelining quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for multiple games, Miami currently sits at 2-6. The Ravens have dealt with several injuries to the defensive line, with defensive tackle Michael Pierce going to injured reserve with a calf injury, defensive end Brent Urban missing several games with a concussion and defensive tackle Travis Jones dealing with an ankle injury that severely hindered his performance until recently.

Campbell, 38, is still playing at a high level for the Dolphins this season and would have been a solid addition to Baltimore’s pass rush, further helping to create opportunities for players such as defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy on passing downs.

Tyreek Hill: ‘We’ve got to win out from here on’

The Dolphins’ margin for error is down to zero.

The playoffs for the Miami Dolphins started in November, according to wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

“It started today,” Hill told reporters after a 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills, via David Furones of the Sun Sentinel. “It was that mindset today. We’ve got to win out from here on out.”

The Dolphins fell to 2-6 with their latest loss and they face an uphill climb to get back into contention in the AFC.

“If we play football like we played today, we’re going to win a lot of football games,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “The problem is that we’ve pretty much put ourselves in a position where our margin for error is zero.”

In the latter half of the 2024 season, Miami is set to face a relatively easy slate of opponents. The Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans are the only remaining games against teams with a winning record, although the 4-4 San Francisco 49ers and 4-4 Los Angeles Rams could be tough outs as well.

The Dolphins are down to nine games and may need to win at least eight of them to reach the postseason. As Hill basically said, the playoffs start now.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dolphins reportedly getting trade calls for DL Calais Campbell

Would the Dolphins consider sending Calais Campbell elsewhere before the Tuesday trade deadline?

The Miami Dolphins are receiving calls from teams interested in trading for defensive lineman Calais Campbell ahead of the Tuesday deadline, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Campbell, 38, signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in the offseason and has been a strong force for the Miami defensive line. Through seven games, he has two sacks and seven tackles for loss, both of which lead the team. His 86.4 grade on Pro Football Focus is the best for any player on the Dolphins defense, and behind only the 91.1 for offensive tackle Terron Armstead.

At 2-5, it’s not surprising that teams are calling the Dolphins to see if they may be sellers ahead of the Tuesday afternoon trade deadline. If the team loses Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, the team may be even more inclined to move on from an aging player on an expiring contract in exchange for draft capital.

But sending Campbell would be a significant loss for a Dolphins defense that is already struggling to generate much pressure with its front seven. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler is dealing with a fractured orbital and Miami has only managed to record three sacks in its last four games.

The Dolphins haven’t given any indication that they’ve given up on 2024, and Mike McDaniel told reporters earlier this week that he’s managed to dig teams out of holes in the past. For now, it seems more likely than not that the Dolphins will keep Campbell around as they try to salvage their 2024 campaign.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Calais Campbell: ‘That was a character-building win’ for Dolphins

It says a lot that the Dolphins found a way to win “a pretty ugly ballgame,” according to Calais Campbell.

The Miami Dolphins needed to find a way to win those kinds of football games, defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after a 15-10 victory against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

“That’s a character-building win, you know,” Campbell said. “A lot of stuff went wrong, it’s like man, that was a pretty ugly ballgame, especially in the first half. But one thing we didn’t do is we didn’t flinch. We didn’t relax, we just stayed hungry, kept fighting, kept believing, and found a way to get the win when it mattered.

The Patriots and Dolphins entered Sunday with the No. 31 and No. 32 scoring offenses in the NFL, respectively. The exited the weekend in the same spots.

While Miami found a way to rack up a respectable 372 yards of offense without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, the team scored its only touchdown with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins also botched a pair of field goal tries, cost themselves another try with an errant third down snap, and had a punt blocked.

Yet, the Dolphins hit their bye week just a game out of first in the AFC East.

“When you get a win, especially after we haven’t had a win for a few weeks, I don’t know, you can’t be too frustrated,” Campbell said. “I feel pretty good right now. It could definitely be better. We will grade it, we will clean it up and we will try to improve. But you know, it’s been so long since we’ve got a win, I’m just going to enjoy this one — 24 hours, 24 hours to enjoy it.”

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel agrees.

“It was a big deal,” McDaniel said after the game. “It’s been 24 days since the Buffalo game. In the NFL, losing streaks are real. They’re not fun. So for the team to have to find a way to overcome a lot of sloppiness that wasn’t to do with intent or preparation, but you know, things that we have to clean up in our game and to be able to still find a way it feels great.”

The Dolphins now have 14 days to get healthy and reset before a Week 7 road game against the Indianapolis Colts.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Dolphins defenders say ‘lapses’ against the run have to stop

Calais Campbell and Jaelan Phillips say the Dolphins have to eliminate the errors that are allowing opponents to get big chunks of yardage.

While a lot of the focus might be on the Miami Dolphins’ offense after the 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3, the defense had questions to answer, as well.

The Miami defense had positive moments throughout the game, including three sacks on Geno Smith recorded by Da’Shawn Hand, Zach Sieler, and Calais Campbell. The Dolphins also won the turnover battle with two interceptions forced by Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith — one from Kader Kohou, and the other from Zach Sieler on a tipped pass.

However, the Seahawks offense was able to hit the ground running by scoring 17 points in the first quarter, creating a deficit too much to overcome for a depleted Dolphins offense.

The Seattle offense was able to get many of the looks they wanted in the passing game as six players recorded three or more receptions. Wide receiver DK Metcalf led the charge with 104 yards on four receptions including a 71-yard touchdown that extended the Seattle lead to 17-3 at the end of the first quarter.

On the ground, Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet carried the ball 18 times for 91 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and two rushing touchdowns. Charbonnet put his stamp on the game in the fourth quarter with the Seahawks driving on the Dolphins 37-yard line. Charbonnet’s number was called four times in a row as he finished the drive himself for his second touchdown.

“At the end of the day it really comes down to how we handle our business, doing our job at a high level and shutting down the run,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “I thought we did it well for all but like five or six runs, maybe six or seven, but those lapses can’t be there.”

Campbell’s take on the run defense is accurate. Five of Charbonnet’s 18 carries went for 10 or more yards, while the other 13 totaled just 32 (one of them was a 4-yard touchdown). The five chunk plays are the lapses Campbell is talking about.

“Usually it comes down to someone trying to do too much,” Campbell added. “And it’s like, for what? We’ve got too many guys. You don’t have to do too much. Just make the plays you’re supposed to make. They’ll come to you. That’s just something we’ve got to be better at.”

At the end of the day, allowing the opposing running back to gain 5.1 yards per carry is a recipe for disaster. It allow for shorter second and third-down plays that open up the passing game. The Buffalo Bills’ James Cook had similar success against the Dolphins in Week 2, with 78 yards on only 11 carries and two touchdowns.

“Just in general, gap integrity,” Dolphins outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips said of a solution. “Everybody in the front, everybody in the back end, everything like, fitting the run properly.

“I thought we did a pretty good job for the first half. Obviously late in the game we started giving up some big yardage and stuff like that. It’s all about the process. It’s a long season. We’ve just got to make the corrections and just move on.”

The Dolphins will get another slightly extended break in between games with their Week 4 game falling on Monday night against the Titans. With Tua Tagovailoa still sidelined, the Dolphins defense will need to come up with a spectacular performance if they want a shot.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Calais Campbell: ‘Good teams don’t lose two in a row’

Calais Campbell says there’s no time for excuses, the Dolphins have to find a way to win.

Just about everything went wrong for the Miami Dolphins last week. The team was blown out by its division rival, lost starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the injured reserve, and suffered a couple injuries along an already thin offensive line.

Now it’s time for the Dolphins to show what they’re made of, says veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell.

“Good teams don’t lose two in a row,” Campbell said. “Everything is circumstantial or whatever, but in this business, you got to find ways to win. When you’re on the road, you got to bring your special teams and your defense.

“The message is really just lock in on the small details, try to make sure we’re executing on a high level with great enthusiasm and effort and just play football.”

Miami will be without Tagovailoa for at least four games and is turning to third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson to lead the way, at least temporarily. And the Dolphins don’t have much room to struggle during Thompson’s time at the helm.

Elsewhere in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills are out to a 2-0 start and already have a head-to-head win against the Dolphins. The New York Jets are looking good too after a 24-3 dismantling of the New England Patriots bumped them to 2-1 on the year.

If the Dolphins aim to prove they’re a contender, Campbell is right that there’s not much room for error.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Video of Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell incident with Miami-Dade police released

The video of Tyreek Hill being detained has been released

Video of the incidents on Sunday that led to Tyreek Hill and Calais Campbell of the Miami Dolphins being detained by Miami-Dade police has been released.

In the Hill video, you see the policeman telling Hill to keep his window down and the receiver rolling it back up. That leads to the confrontation with the police pulling Hill out of the car, handcuffing him and putting him on the ground.

Hill says he is going to be late to the game and asks the officer to give him a ticket so he can get to the game with the Jacksonsville Jaguars.

An officer involved in the incident was placed on administrative leave. Hill was issued two summons. Neither player was arrested.

Watch: Body cam footage of MDPD officers detaining Tyreek Hill

Leaked body cam footage shows the incident that led to both Tyreek Hill and Calais Campbell in handcuffs.

Body cam footage from officers involved in the detaining of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was released Monday.

The three-and-a-half minute video posted by Andy Slater of FOX Sports shows the traffic stop escalate into a physical confrontation Sunday.

The video shows Hill roll down his window and hand what appears to be his license and registration to an officer before rolling his window back up. When the officers knock and tell him to roll his window down, Hill does so after about a 10-15 second delay.

An officer then demands he gets out of the car and reaches inside the car to open the door before pulling Hill out and on the ground. Hill, who is on the phone with “Drew” — presumably, his agent Drew Rosenhaus — says “I’m getting arrested, Drew!”

Later in the video, a handcuffed Hill is forced to the ground while he yells, “I just had surgery on my knee!” to an officer who says, “Really? What a coincidence.”

Two other Dolphins players, Jonnu Smith and Calais Campbell, can be seen arriving on the scene to try to help.

Smith can be heard telling someone on the phone, “They’ve got Tyreek. The cops are over there beating on him, man.”

In another video posted by ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, body cam footage shows Campbell being put in handcuffs for not leaving the scene.

On Sunday afternoon, Miami-Dade Police Department director Stephanie V. Daniels said in a statement that one of the officers involved was placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Calais Campbell was handcuffed too: ‘Extreme, definitely unnecessary’

Tyreek Hill wasn’t the only Dolphins player handcuffed by MDPD before kickoff Sunday.

Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell told reporters Sunday that he was also placed in handcuffs along with wide receiver Tyreek Hill in an incident a couple hours prior to the team’s 20-17 win.

“I think it was a bit extreme and definitely unnecessary,” Campbell told reporters in a postgame press conference. “Definitely was a terrible way to start a ballgame, adversity we faced there. I was driving to the game, the lane I’m in is blocked.

“I see Tyreek in handcuffs, I’d seen, I feel like excessive force, so I get out of the car to kind of just try to deescalate the situation and I think the officer just – I don’t know why he felt the need to put me in handcuffs, but I mean it is what it is.”

Campbell said he was told by officers that he wasn’t being arrested, but he was being cited for his involvement.

“Disobeying a direct order,” Campbell said of the officers’ explanation. “I guess I wasn’t – he said I was too close to the scene and then I think he said something about me not moving my car in time. I don’t know. He told me later I could stand 25 feet away, that’s fine. I was definitely further than 25 feet away when that happened.”

Hill was seen face down in handcuffs by fans entering the parking lots at Hard Rock Stadium. On Sunday afternoon, the Miami-Dade Police Department announced that an officer involved in the arrest was placed on administrative leave.

“I think it was very much the way it should go,” Campbell said when asked about the officer being placed on leave.

Campbell, who joined the Dolphins earlier this year on a one-year deal, received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2019, recognizing his philanthropic work off the field. In his Miami debut, he finished with a sack and two tackles for loss.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]