The Arizona Cardinals signed Calais Campbell to a one-year deal this offseason in pursuit of more than just nostalgia. Currently amid his 18th NFL season, the 39-year-defensive lineman is the oldest active defensive player in football. The team hoped to reunite with a former fan favorite in what was expected to be his final NFL season—but father time hasn't caught up just yet.
Campbell spent the 2023 season in Atlanta, where he totaled 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for loss before spending 2024 with the Dolphins. The Falcons boast a strong group of interior lineman that's led by third-year breakout Zach Harrison, but that doesn't mean they don't miss the steadying presence of a player like No. 93.
Suiting up in Arizona for the first time since 2016, the six-time Pro Bowler has amassed 2.0 sacks, 11 tackles, and five quarterback hits in 2025. With just over three minutes to play in Week 3 against the 49ers, Campbell showed exactly why Arizona wanted him back. The veteran DL drew a holding penalty in the end zone to put Arizona up by two late—but San Francisco drilled a go-ahead field goal as time expired for the win.
Calais Campbell is making the Falcons regret letting him go
He’s no longer the explosive athlete who dominated in Jacksonville, but he doesn’t have to be. His speed may have faded with age, but Campbell remains one of the most physically imposing interior lineman in the league.
The most impressive part? According to Pro Football Focus, his 88.3 PFF grade ranked third among 184 qualified defensive lineman. That's because he wins with power, technique, and experience — the kind of traits that don’t vanish as Father Time comes along.
Let's put his longevity into perspective. The Miami (FL) product has been in the league so long that he's currently teammates with Marvin Harrison Jr, but has been around long enough to face off against Marvin Harrison Sr.
The 2008 third-round pick was one of Ryan Nielsen's most productive defenders two seasons ago, yet was inexplicably not retained. He's produced everywhere he's been—Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Miami— it doesn't matter. The more some things change, the more they stay the same.
Between Matthew Judon, Justin Simmons, Jessie Bates III, and Campbell, Terry Fontenot has made a lot of splash acquisitions for the Dirty Birds. However, only Campbell and Bates provided Atlanta a return on investment, and it looks like Jeff Ulbrich's blossoming unit could use the bulldozing veteran right now after getting thrashed by Carolina's run game in Week 3.
What was supposed to be a curtain call in Arizona has instead turned into another reminder of just how much Campbell still has left to give. And he's yet another chapter in the story of how age defies all logic in the case of the NFL's world-class talent.
Derrick Henry, Mike Evans, and Matthew Stafford are turning back the clocks, while Campbell is doing the same in hopes of making one final push for Canton.