Ravens are signing a 40-year-old defensive lineman to play his 19th NFL season and it is awesome
Calais Campbell is timeless. And to prove it, he signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday that will make 2026 his 19th NFL season.
That’s not the most impressive part.
This: The man is a defender.
Calais Campbell of the Baltimore Ravens is introduced prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
He plays both on the edge and sometimes on the inside of the defensive line, where multiple 300-pound offensive linemen in a cranky mood can double him. Or dive to your knees. Or grab him in unspeakable places.
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(Playing defensive line in the NFL is not for the faint of heart).
Campbell has the ability to play passes or on the perimeter when his team is on a certain front. The Ravens could also line up Campbell with offensive linemen like Trey Hendrickson, forcing the opposing team to choose which pass rusher they want to double-team.
And that interior offense that would effectively turn Campbell into a part-time defenseman could come from a 40-year-old man.
Forty!
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones throws a pass while Calais Campbell of the Baltimore Ravens pressures him during the first half on Oct. 16, 2022 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Seth Wenig/AP)
He is probably one of the few NFL players who remember Ice Cube not just as a player but as a member of the NWA.
Maybe you’re thinking that 40-year-old NFL players aren’t all that unique. Rare but not unique.
This is true.
Tom Brady played until he turned 45 in 2022.
Brett Favre and Drew Brees played until they were 41 years old.
Adam Vinatieri and Morten Andersen played until they were 47 years old.
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Jerry Rice and Darrell Green played until they were 42 years old.
Philip Rivers last season came out of retirement and at age 44 he played a few plays.
But none of these guys were defenders. Campbell is actually about to become the oldest linebacker in the NFL.
Calais Campbell poses with the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award during the NFL Honors Ceremony at Symphony Hall on February 9, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Do you know who the oldest defensive player in the NFL was last season? Campbell is 39 years old.
Defensive linemen face perhaps the steepest aging curve of all positions due to their difficulty and susceptibility to injury. So the expectation is that Campbell won’t be asked to play 70 snaps per game like younger players, but instead will be limited to two dozen snaps per game.
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This is still impressive and even surprising. Including Campbell.
Because as games were winding down last season, Campbell was asked if this would be his last season.
“I would be surprised if it wasn’t,” he said.
It wasn’t.
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