Patriots First-Round Pick Will Campbell Says He Played With A Torn Ligament In His Knee: ‘It Sucks For Me’

It was a Super Bowl to forget for New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell, allowing 14 pressures last week against the Seattle Seahawks.

Those 14 pressures mark a season-worst in any game this year from an offensive lineman. Campbell revealed to the media that he had been playing with a torn ligament and was not 100%.

Campbell got injured in Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals, forcing him to be carted off the field and missing four games. The injury was an MCL sprain that never fully healed when he returned to action.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked 21 times during the NFL playoffs, setting a new record and surpassing Joe Burrow, who was sacked 19 times in 2021. Both QBs went on to lose the Super Bowl.

After declining to speak to the media after the Super Bowl, Campbell spoke on Tuesday about the criticism he has received, saying, “When you don’t perform, obviously, I was [drafted] high, paid a lot. So people expect a certain thing, and I expect more of myself. So whenever I don’t perform, I don’t expect everyone to be like, ‘It’s OK, buddy.’ I mean, obviously, it sucks. But it doesn’t suck for anyone more than it sucks for me.”

The Patriots drafted Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, hoping for him to be the franchise left tackle and protect Maye. “I’m gonna fight and die to protect him with everything I got,” Campbell said after he was drafted.

The Patriots still have high hopes for Campbell to be their franchise left tackle, despite allowing 29 pressures in the postseason.