Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes
Tommie Campbell admits patience isn’t one of his virtues.
“I kind of get bored real quick,” explained the lanky defensive back. “I like competition. When somebody says don’t do this, don’t do that, I’m probably the one going that way.”
Boredom shouldn’t be a problem for Campbell this year after signing with the Toronto Argonauts, a team that struggled to a 4-14 record last season while giving up the second-most points in the CFL.
“I like being part of the movement,” said Campbell. “I play in games to compete.”
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Defensive back Tommie Campbell signed with the Toronto Argonauts ahead of the first day of free agency. (Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes)
The way Campbell sees it, attitude is as important as talent when it comes to making a winning team.
“At the professional level, everybody is good,” he said. “It’s the mindset you carry into an organization. It’s the mindset that you carry into practice, the mindset that you carry into the meeting room.
“You’re going to get things done if we hold each other accountable. We’re not going to loaf in a practice and we’re definitely not going to loaf in a game.”
Mistakes happen in games. What’s important is for players to make sure everyone knows their job to eliminate the big plays, he said.
Campbell knows about teams turning things around.
He was part of a Montreal Alouettes club that was 5-13 in 2018 then began 2019 as Team Turmoil.
First, the CFL terminated the contract of former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, then the league took over ownership of the team. Just days before the first game, Khari Jones replaced Mike Sherman as head coach.
Things looked bad after the Als lost their first two games but Montreal regrouped and finished 10-8 before losing to Edmonton in the East Semi-Final.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Campbell had 66 tackles during the regular season — the most since recording 71 in his first CFL season with the Calgary Stampeders. He also had three interceptions and two forced fumbles, while adding six tackles in the playoff loss to Edmonton.
“I did my job,” said Campbell, who was named an East Division All-Star in 2019. “In that defence, I had a lot to do. I had to be in on the run game and be in on the pass game.
“I was able to do whatever was needed to be done to help the team win.”
Contributing to the success was a healthy team attitude.
“It definitely felt good,” Campbell said reflecting on last year. “One of the main things about the team last year, the older guys in the locker room, we had some ownership of the team. We held guys accountable, as a player and as a group.
“Guys were able to hold me accountable and I was able to hold my fellow DBs accountable. Everybody just kind of started feeding off each other’s energy and believing in one another and it just translated to the field.”
The sense of optimism Campbell felt heading into 2020 quickly faded. His first talk with new Montreal general manager Danny Maciocia ended with Campbell being told he was being released, but he could re-sign with the team if he wanted.
Along with Campbell, receiver DeVier Posey was also released while safety Bo Lokombo was traded to Toronto. The moves were seen as budget cuts with the three players in line to earn a combined $85,000 in bonuses.
Several reasons contributed to Campbell signing with the Argos. New head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was a coach in Calgary when Campbell played with the Stampeders. Toronto is also a five-hour drive from Campbell’s hometown of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.
Campbell attended California University of Pennsylvania before being taken by Tennessee in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL draft. He spent time with both the Titans and Jacksonville before joining the Stampeders in 2016.
He signed with the Alouettes ahead of the 2018 season following two years with the Stamps.
At 32, Campbell believes he has several good years of football ahead of him. He believes his experience compensates for any concern about his age.
“I have seen a lot of football, a lot of plays and a lot of players,” he said. “Everybody thinks football is about speed. Football is about angles. It doesn’t matter how fast you are, if the angle isn’t right, they’ll run past you.
“It’s all about angles and it’s all about studying.”
One regret Campbell has about his time in Calgary is losing back-to-back Grey Cups against Ottawa and Toronto, respectively.
“It definitely irritates me,” he said. “I definitely think about it. I wish I would have won the Grey Cup last year with Montreal.
“I will try to win one with Toronto now. Anything can happen in the CFL. You have to be with the right team on the right day.”
