Ageless Calais Campbell Credits Coordinator Anthony Weaver For Longevity And Return To Baltimore

There are a multitude of reasons why Calais Campbell chose to play football for another year and a number of reasons why he decided on Baltimore and plenty of data to suggest he will fare quite well despite being xx years old.

Returning to a place he had prior success and rejoining a franchise with a history of contending and congregating in a locker room with so many familiar faces all played a key factor. As did the Ravens, who have been a little pound-foolish in regard to pursuits of Campbell since he first departed, coming up with the right price this time as well.

But among them all, an opportunity to reunion with Ravens new defensive coordinator – and former defensive line coach from Campbell’s earlier stint – was clearly chief among them. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta may have had a considerable assist from Weaver in getting Campbell back in the fold for rookie head coach Jesse Minter.

“My all-time favorite coach,” Campbell called Weaver after Tuesday’s mini-camp practice.

A Unique Voice In The Game

When someone as accomplished and beloved leaguewide as Campbell, who is entering his astonishing 19th season in the trenches, speaks as highly of Weaver as he does among the litany of assistant coaches and position coaches and coordinators he has worked under, it carries significant weight. And given his overall standing in the NFL – as a former Walter Payton Man of the Year winner and one of the more esteemed leaders in the game – just about anything Campbell says carries significant weight.

Campbell, on the cusp of leading the NFL in games played by a defensive lineman, is someone with a deep appreciation for the game and its history and its trends. He sees issues and factors within the sport far greater than any individuals and his impact on the field and listening to the future Hall of Famer speak about Weaver, 45, and how he means to him, it was clear this went beyond being about just a player and a coach.

Campbell’s sees his pursuit of hopefully a Lombardi Trophy as being intertwined with what he hopes will be an ascent for Weaver to become a head coach, which has become increasingly rare for coaches of color in this league and even more so for former players on the defensive side of the ball.

The defensive lineman knows at this point from his decades in this league - of coming close to a ring, or falling woefully short – how difficult it is to be the last team standing; it’s far from guaranteed that ever happens for him. But helping the Ravens defense bounce back from two years in the abyss since Campbell departed, with Weaver, who has had opportunities to interview for head coaching jobs including with Baltimore this year, helping to coach it can only help his friend achieve that goal.

“He’s probably the main reason I came back here,” Campbell said of Weaver, “having conversations with him and trying to help him have success and get where he wants to go is something I take great pride in. Hopefully I can do my part. He wants to be a part of something great, and me too.”

Weaver, 45, was with Campbell as the defensive coordinator in Miami in 2024 and their playing careers overlapped as well (Weaver was a defensive lineman in the NFL from 2002-2008, with that Campbell’s rookie year). They clearly have much in common and Campbell credits Weaver for helping him with his “longevity” and keeping him confident he can still play this game at a very high level.

“He will one day be a phenomenal head coach,” Campbell said.

Weaver said of Campbell last week: “He is – I've said it countless times – a force multiplier. He's one of those guys that doesn't just make our defensive line better; he makes our defense better. He makes our team better. And anytime you can inject that type of energy and leadership into a locker room, that's a win. So, I love the guy to death.”

Plenty Left In The Tank

Campbell is here for more than inspiration; this defensive line was in tatters last year and it remains to be seen exactly when All Pro Nnamdi Madubuike returns from neck surgery, and Campbell performed at a stellar level for a hapless Arizona defense a year ago both against the run and continue to generate rare interior pass rush.

“Calais can still play at a really high level,” Minter said. “His pay last season speaks for itse;f

Campbell still managed 499 snaps on defense last season (and another 144 on special teams, incredibly), and made the most of them. His 6.5 sacks were the most since 2018, when he was playing at an All Pro level at the height of his earning potential, and he had a fairly ridiculous 10.8% pressure rate when deployed as a defensive tackle and mustered 16 QB hits and 17 hurries, putting him among the leaders of all DL age 30 or older.

No Raven player had more than five sacks last season and interior pass rush was scant.

The days of Campbell playing 60 snaps or more are long over; now it’s about finding scheme and situations to maximize the 30-40 per game. It’s an adjustment that Campbell called “a humbling experience” at first, but he and the Ravens staff are already sympatico about how to proceed.

“I told Coach Weave, I’m training to be able to play 40 plays again and give you a quality 40,” Campbell said, with his beaming smile and booming chuckle coming out. “And he said, ‘You give me 30 and I’ll be happy.”

Campbell insists he's planning on this being his final season, by the way, but conceded he's been telling himself for about three straight years now. He had plenty of options for 2026, if this is his last ride, but not all of them invcluded Weaver along for the ride.

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