Will Campbell suffered a torn ligament in his knee before returning for — and struggling during — the New England Patriots’ playoff run, the rookie left tackle said Tuesday.
Campbell didn’t use the injury as an excuse for his rough performance in Sunday’s 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX but acknowledged his knee “wasn’t 100%.”
“When you tear a ligament in your knee, it’s not going to be how it was before, but I was healthy enough to go,” Campbell said, according to MassLive. “I’m not going to say that it held me back, but yeah, it wasn’t the same as it was before, obviously. But I was good.”
Campbell, the No. 4 pick in last year’s draft, suffered the right knee injury during the Patriots’ Nov. 23 win in Cincinnati, causing him to be carted off the field. He spent Weeks 13-17 on injured reserve before returning for the regular season finale.
Seattle’s swarming pass rush tormented Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson — another rookie — throughout Super Bowl LX, a game in which the Seahawks recorded six sacks and forced three turnovers by quarterback Drake Maye.
Campbell surrendered 14 pressures, the most by any player in a game all season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Over the Patriots’ four-game playoff run, Campbell gave up 29 pressures, which were the most by a player in one postseason since the NFL introduced Next Gen Stats in 2016.
“I was picked high, paid a lot, so people expect a certain thing, and I expect more myself,” Campbell said. “So, whenever I don’t perform, I don’t expect everyone to be like, ‘It’s OK, buddy.’ I mean, obviously it sucks, but it doesn’t suck for anyone more than it sucks for me.”
Tuesday’s comments were Campbell’s first since Super Bowl LX, as he declined comment after the game. Campbell, 22, apologized Tuesday, attributing his unavailability to emotions after the loss.
Campbell’s 32 5/8-inch arm length — considered short for a left tackle — was the subject of scrutiny during last year’s pre-draft process.
But multiple former offensive linemen contended Campbell’s Super Bowl struggles were not due to his arms. Terron Armstead pointed to Campbell’s footwork, writing on social media that the tackle did not have a “solid foundation.”
Pro Football Focus graded Campbell as the NFL’s 32nd-ranked tackle (out of 89) in the regular season and as the 23rd-best in pass blocking.
But PFF credited Campbell with four sacks in the postseason, including one in the Super Bowl. Maye was sacked 21 times in the playoffs — the most ever for a QB in a single postseason.
“The expectations of a first round pick, I think he’s dealt with so much this year,” Maye said of Campbell. “It’s only going to be great for him in the future. He’s going to be a great player in this league. He already is a great player in this league.”
Maye, meanwhile, said he will not need surgery for the right (throwing) shoulder injury he suffered during the AFC Championship Game. The second-year quarterback previously said he received an injection in his shoulder before the Super Bowl.
“Time’s the best healer, and I definitely need time off,” Maye said Tuesday. “Nothing that needs anything to be done. Just some time away, and time to get some rest.”
