Calais Campbell back with team after scary

Calais Campbell, as usual, was all smiles.

There was no hint that the defensive end had been taken off the Candlestick Park turf on a stretcher late in Sunday’s game against the 49ers. Maybe that’s just because it was essentially precaution that led to the dramatic exit – Campbell actually wanted to get up and walk off under his own power only to have the medical staff insist he stay down and still until he could be tested.

But Monday, Campbell was back in the locker room, back in team meetings and talking about how he was hopeful to play Thursday night against Seattle.

“I feel pretty good now,” Campbell said. “Football is my life so I am looking forward to strapping up and playing again.

“Football is a fun game and if you play it correctly, you can limit your injuries. I’m not really scared as long as I play the right way.”

Campbell was not part of the Monday practice as he went to the hospital to try and get cleared to play again. He said he was “a little sore” but that he’s always sore on Mondays anyway.

Coach Bruce Arians said “I’ve got my fingers crossed” Campbell will be able to play.

“There have been a number of times I’ve been out there watching guys getting towed off on a stretcher and it’s never fun,” Arians said. “You just start praying and hoping everything is going to be alright, but he was coherent and talking and you could see the fingers and the feet start coming back pretty fast, so I was very optimistic.”

Campbell said he was trying to force a Frank Gore fumble when he put his head down on the tackle. He said the sensation was like a stinger, except the jolt went down to his feet. It started to go away before he even left the field, but he was still immobilized – at least until he put his finger up to signal to his family in attendance he was OK.

He said he didn’t even notice the crowd doing the “Wave” that caused so much furor at the time.

“When I got off the field I gave the thumbs-up and the crowd did a pretty good cheer so I felt pretty good about that,” Campbell said. “I felt a lot of love.”


(azcardinals.com)