Calais Campbell believes in hard work and holding players accountable for their actions. It was this work ethic that led him to join the Miami Dolphins. He wanted to play with the best of the best.

“I always said I was playing this game – the money wasn’t really important – I basically played for free because I loved it so much,” Campbell said on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. “I turned down a lot of money to come here because I believe in Coach McDaniel, I believe in Coach Weaver, and just with the talent we have on the team, I feel like this is my chance, my best chance to win the Super Bowl, and that’s my ultimate goal.”

Campbell played in a Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals after his rookie season. In 2009, they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23.

He also came close to reaching the Super Bowl twice, but missed by one game. In 2016, his Cardinals lost to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. In 2018, his Jacksonville Jaguars lost the AFC Championship to New England.

Campbell received a one-year contract with a base salary of $1.2 million, the league minimum for veterans. Campbell also received a signing bonus of $795,000. According to spotrac.com, his salary cap hit for the 2024 season is $2 million.

His salary is a far cry from the $7 million he earned last season with the Atlanta Falcons, when he recorded 6.5 sacks. Additionally, Campbell has earned more than $140 million over the course of his career, according to spotrac.com.

Campbell also benefits from a homecoming of sorts. Campbell played collegiately at the University of Miami. Fans can only hope that Campbell is as successful in Miami as he was as a college star for the Hurricanes.

“My love for this city and the fans here, it just made sense,” Campbell said. “I think this team is special. We have some playmakers and the way we’ve coached, the mentality we’ve had, we have a little chip on our shoulders that I love.”

Campbell will be competing with some great players. He plays for a team that potentially has three potential Pro Football Hall of Famers. In addition to Campbell, Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey have had careers that some would consider worthy of a gold jacket.

“I think the best players became leaders. I was really impressed with Jalen Ramsey and his development. I knew him as a young guy and then saw his development. He really took on a much stronger leadership role, went around and still brought that energy today, made sure the guys were focused, played physical and had fun,” Campbell said Tuesday. “It’s good … and I think everyone wants to win, and I think there’s a certain level of sacrifice, paying the price and doing everything we can to give ourselves the best chance.”

Campbell also said the players hold each other accountable. He said that’s a big reason he chose to play for Miami. They all have one common goal: to do their best.

“I think that’s one of the main reasons I’m here,” Campbell said. “It’s just about setting the expectation that we’re going to do things a certain way and that everyone has to take on that responsibility.”

“I’m very proud of having made sure that we were able to play ball at a certain level.”