Myles Jack Preparing To Face 'His Guys', Including 'The Mayor' Calais Campbell, on Sunday

Sunday afternoon, as Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack looks across the field to the other sideline in Baltimore, he’ll see two familiar faces that open a chasm of emotion.

“That’s definitely going to be crazy for me. Those are my guys.”

The guys are of course former Jaguars, defensive lineman Calais Campbell and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Both traded by Jacksonville this offseason—Ngakoue by request, Campbell in what was a surprise to most including the man himself—the two are now playing together again for the Baltimore Ravens (Ngakoue first via the Minnesota Vikings).

For Jags defensive players but Jack in particular who spent four seasons with Ngakoue and three with Campbell, it will be bittersweet playing with them again but in separate uniforms.

“Yan, we came in together, so that’s like a brother to me. I’m always going to have love for Yan and I’m super proud of his journey through everything, even college going into the league and what he’s become and just becoming a household name and making plays and those famous strip sacks that he does.

“Then obviously Calais [Campbell], Calais is like the OG. He’s always just taught me things, put me on game, showed me the right things to do, the wrong things to do. He’s always been super honest with me. It’s going to be really cool. I would love to have them on our side if I could, but it’s definitely going to be cool to watch them in action doing their thing.”

Campbell was listed as questionable on the Ravens Friday injury report with a calf injury. If he is able to play, he will be looking to build off the 27 tackles, four sacks and six defended passes he’s accumulated thus far this year.

"@CalaisCampbell is having a field day for Baltimore!"

Bye this week, back in action 11/1 vs. the Steelers at 1 p.m. on CBS! pic.twitter.com/06LwyHAL87
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 19, 2020

He also jokingly told Baltimore reporters this week he’d probably do some trash talking.

“I've been in contact with a bunch of the guys over there, just because in football, you develop a brotherhood and friendship,” began Campbell.

“So, a lot of those guys I'm real, real tight with. It's going to be fun competing and talking trash along the way and having some fun with the old team.”

His former teammates aren’t buying that though.

“I’m not going to talk trash to Calais,” joked quarterback Gardner Minshew II on Wednesday.

“I know Calais. Calais is too nice of a guy, like I know it’s not real coming from Calais. We’re too cool, I hope. Now [Ravens DE] Yannick [Ngakoue]’s going to be out for blood, but Calais, I think he’s going to take care of me. I hope. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s always fun playing against former teammates. It’s one of the cool things about the league and it makes it a lot of fun.”

Jack agrees, knowing the former ‘Mayor’ won’t be able to be too unkind to his beloved city and team. And Myles Jack thinks any “trash talking” from Calais Campbell will be skewed as such.

“He was the ‘Mayor of Jacksonville’. I can’t imagine him talking crazy. Calais might say something here or there, but I know he really wanted to be here. I know that much. I know he wanted to finish his career in Jacksonville and he definitely wanted to be in Jacksonville. So, if he does talk some trash, he might just say, ‘I wanted to be here.’ I don’t know if it will be anything vulgar. I think it will just kind of be, ‘I wish I was with you guys right now’, that kind of trash talk.”

No matter what happens during the game however, there is one moment Myles Jack is looking forward to most. The postgame, when he can finally set aside a moment to forget the different uniforms and the separation COVID has caused across the league, and instead, he can just be with his brothers once again.

“I wish them nothing but the best, but I’m definitely really excited to see them in person and see them postgame with my mask on and chop it up with them and get to see them in person.”