Dolphins coach hints at ‘tantrum’ to avoid Calais Campbell trade

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins received legitimate offers for defensive tackle Calais Campbell, coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Sunday, but both he and Campbell rejected any trade despite the team’s disappointing record at the time.

NFL Network reported Sunday that the Dolphins almost traded Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick at the trade deadline, but McDaniel said he made it clear to general manager Chris Grier at the time how important Campbell was.

“It wasn’t like Chris was competing against me,” McDaniel said. “It was more like Chris saw things the same way I did, or we worked together – and I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum.”

“The difficult thing about Chris’ job is that he has to look at what’s best for the organization in both the long and short term. … We rely on each other when it comes to things that I need to keep an eye on and.” One of those is the locker room and what an individual does for an entire team speaks in Calais’ favor because that was a strong compensation for a man who has just passed the 30 year mark.

The Dolphins were 2-6 at the time of the trade, and the 38-year-old Campbell, productive in his first season with the team, was a tempting trade target. However, the Dolphins consulted with Campbell after receiving offers for him, a source confirmed to ESPN, and Campbell preferred to stay in Miami.

“It speaks to the way he plays,” McDaniel said. “It shows what he means to the team, that teams would be willing to do that and there was some competition for that.”

The Dolphins have won three straight games since the deadline and are in the hunt for the AFC’s seventh seed after a 34-15 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Campbell is tied with Zach Sieler for the team lead with four sacks, and he leads the team with nine tackles for loss. His 40% run-stop win rate this season ranks 11th among defensive linemen, while his 13% pass-rush win rate as a defensive tackle entering Week 12 is fifth-best in the league.

His teammates say his leadership has been invaluable as Miami continues to recover from its poor start.

“There is no play I respect more than the play of Calais at the top of the D-line, alongside him this year,” Sieler said. “Just the energy, the attitude and the mindset that he brings every week – it’s second to none. And that’s why he is who he is today and doing what he’s doing at 17 years old (in the league).”