SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Will Campbell’s Reaction to Leonard Williams

When asked about his most irrational fear, Will Campbell, the rookie left tackle for the Patriots, gave an unexpected answer: “It’s a cat.” This admission comes just days before he faces off against Leonard “Big Cat” Williams in the Super Bowl.

Instead of discussing the notable defensive lineman, Campbell recounted a memorable experience from high school. He had stayed at a friend’s house, where he found himself in an amusingly chaotic encounter with a cat. “It was really crazy,” he said. “I went into the pitch-black room where I was sleeping and… I couldn’t see anything. Then I heard this noise and, before I knew it, the cat jumped out from under the bed and landed on my leg. I just launched it.” When asked if he really kicked the cat, he replied, “Yeah, I kicked it. It was biting me. I’m just not going to forgive you.” Clearly, it’s a moment etched in his memory.

This Sunday, though, it won’t be cats causing him trouble but rather the Seattle Seahawks’ heavy pass rush that will challenge him as he protects quarterback Drake Maye’s blindside.

Campbell, who was picked fourth overall in the draft, has had a bit of a tumultuous rookie season, sitting out four games due to an MCL injury. He hurt his knee on November 23 but made his way back to the field for the Patriots’ last regular-season game on January 4. Yet, he admitted that it took until the AFC Championship game to really feel back to normal. “I didn’t play for five weeks,” Campbell reflected. “When I got hurt, I felt like I was playing pretty good ball. It was obviously disappointing. Last week felt like the first week I truly felt myself again.”

Even though Campbell encountered challenges in the playoffs, allowing ten pressures and four sacks against the Chargers and Texans, he also had moments of improvement. In the AFC title game, he allowed five pressures without conceding any sacks. “Coach Mike Vrabel really helped keep my confidence up,” he mentioned. “It’s tough coming back from injuries, but not just him—everyone, my teammates and the training staff—did a lot to support me mentally and help me get ready.”