Will Campbell has a candid response to critics after playoff debut with Patriots

New England Patriots

“I don’t give a [expletive] what anyone says, to be honest with you.”

FOXBOROUGH — Will Campbell went through some expected rookie growing pains in his first playoff game with the Patriots on Sunday. 

The left tackle was a mauler on run plays while clearing a path for Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. But Campbell also took his lumps at times against Chargers veteran edge rusher Odafe Oweh — as he was beaten clean by him in the third quarter en route to an eventual strip-sack against Drake Maye.

“Obviously, I didn’t pitch a shutout,” Campbell said Wednesday. “I had two or three plays that I wish I could have back. But that’s $300 million in defensive ends and I’ve got a ton of respect for those dudes. It’s going to be like that every week in the playoffs.

“Like Coach [Mike] Vrabel said, you’ve gotta be willing to spill a little blood and violence. You’ve just gotta hope you don’t spill more than they do. That’s the name of the game.”

Campbell is well aware of the improvements he must make in his own game, especially going into Sunday’s divisional-round matchup against an elite Houston Texans defense. 

But the 22-year-old tackle also isn’t dwelling over the criticism that he’s received online or in the media amid the ups and downs that presented themselves against Los Angeles. 

“I don’t give a [expletive] what anyone says, to be honest with you,” Campbell said. “It’s easy to type behind a Twitter account that you know is fake. I hold myself to the highest expectation of anybody. I want to be perfect, and it’s hard for me to get told that it’s going to be hard to be perfect.”

Campbell might set high standards for himself as the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, even if he won’t always be able to protect Drake Maye’s blindside. 

But operating with a short memory is essential for any offensive lineman in the NFL — especially with the talented tackle set to take on Houston’s top edge rushers in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter on Sunday. 

“It’s my job. It’s what they pay me to do.” Campbell said of responding against Houston. “I can look at it and be like, ‘Yeah, I wish I had two plays back last week,’ but that’s wasting energy towards this week. Somebody told me that and it’s very true. 

“I can’t be worrying about last week, because quite frankly, the second after it happened, it doesn’t mean [expletive] anymore. There’s not anything I can do about it, the people in the stands can do about it, you just have to move on and keep playing. You let can’t one play turn into 10.”

Campbell and New England’s entire O-line will have their work cut out for them on Sunday against the likes of Anderson and Hunter — who have combined for 27 sacks this past season.

For those keeping tabs, the Patriots, as a team, recorded 35 sacks during the regular season. 

Campbell does have some experience battling with Anderson, as he took on the former All-American edge rusher as a true freshman in 2022 during an SEC battle between LSU and Alabama. 

“He’s a talented player,” Campbell said of Anderson, who took home First Team All-Pro honors this season. “I played him, Jared Verse, and Jalen Carter all my freshman year at 18 years old. That’s three really talented players in this league. Great learning experience for me. He’s a really talented player.”

It’s to be expected for Houston’s defense to land a few punches against Maye and New England’s offense on Sunday. 

But the onus will fall on Campbell and New England’s big bodies up front to push back and prevent the Texans from completing dismantling the Patriots’ offensive operation. 

“It’s what you come to the NFL for,” Campbell said. “It’s what you want – to be in these types of games. It’s not going to be pretty. It’s not going to be easy, but you’ve got to find a way to scratch and claw to come out with a victory.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.