Patriots Rookie Offensive Tackle Will Campbell Discusses Knee Injury Ahead of 2026 Super Bowl

Will Campbell, a rookie offensive tackle for the Patriots, is gearing up for an unforgettable experience at the 2026 Super Bowl, but he’s also opening up about the serious knee injury that affected his entire season.

On Tuesday, the 22-year-old spoke with the media, revealing that he’d torn ligaments in his knee during a Week 12 victory against the Bengals. He went on to describe the struggles and the eventual recovery he faced in the postseason, which concluded with a 29-13 defeat to the Seahawks.

“I guess you could say it wasn’t at full strength,” he mentioned, as reported by MassLive. “Tearing a ligament isn’t something that magically heals, but I managed to get by. It wasn’t ideal, but I felt okay enough to play.”

After being placed on injured reserve in late November, Campbell made his comeback in the last regular season game against the Dolphins in Week 18. He had his playoff debut in January as a first-round pick from 2025, even facing some scrutiny about his performance but still helped the Patriots defeat the Chargers in the wildcard round.

However, the pressure intensified after he allowed a staggering 14 quarterback pressures during the Super Bowl—a record for the entire 2025 season, as noted by NFL.com. He didn’t address reporters after the game, but he was clearly aware of the criticisms surrounding his performance.

“Even when things aren’t going well, you still have to keep working,” Campbell noted. “I know I’m highly touted and compensated, so the expectations are high—both from others and myself. When I don’t perform, I can’t just expect everyone to say, ‘It’s okay.’ It’s, well, it feels terrible, honestly. But it doesn’t hurt more than it does for anyone else involved.”

Before his knee injury, Campbell, who was drafted fourth overall from LSU, had allowed just five sacks over twelve games. Under the leadership of first-year coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots wrapped up the regular season with a 14-3 record, clinching their first AFC East title since 2019.

As the team gears up for what they hope will be a strong 2025 season, Campbell is focused on putting Sunday’s Super Bowl behind him and moving forward. “I was just resting and watching,” he said, according to NFL.com. “I know where I need to improve, so it’s time to look ahead.”