Parris Campbell has returned home frustrated after plenty of games this season as the Colts have slipped to a 4-11-1 record entering Week 18. But after walking in the door, Campbell's wife, Taylor, has reminded him he has plenty for which to be thankful.
"After every loss, y'all can probably imagine how I go home and take that to my wife," Campbell said. "She's probably tired of me right now. But one thing, she never lets me forget that I'm healthy, I'm playing and I'm making the most of my opportunities. She never lets me forget that and I'm grateful for her for that."
Campbell has not only played in all 16 of the Colts' games this season, he's played more than 75 percent of his team's offensive snaps in 15 of those 16 games. And that durability has come with production – Campbell has 57 catches on 82 targets for 581 yards with three touchdowns; 30 of those 57 catches have resulted in a first down.
From 2019-2021, Campbell had 34 receptions on 53 targets for 360 yards with two touchdowns over 15 games. Campbell is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.
"It really kind of put it in perspective for me, everything I've been through — the season is what it is, but everything I've been through, to be standing here healthy going into free agency having put together a good season for myself, I have no worries, I have no concerns," Campbell said. "I'm not stressed out about anything. I'm just kind of able to relax and whatever happens, whatever God has in store for me, that's what it is. So I'm at peace with that."
Campbell knew he'd been cast aside by some football fans and analysts as "injury prone," even though the string of injuries that limited him in 2019, 2020 and 2021 were the sort of unpreventable, freak accidents that are the product of bad luck. He's never been prone to more preventable things like pulled muscles. But a broken foot sustained while catching a 51-yard touchdown? That's the sort of bad luck Campbell faced over the first three years of his career.
And Campbell knew if his injury luck turned around, he'd show the NFL what kind of a player he is. He said it back in May: "What better way to prove everybody wrong and prove myself right in Year 4, in my contract year."
With one week to go, it's clear Campbell's proved himself right – and everyone else wrong – in 2022.
"I think it's one thing to say, someone can't stay healthy when I feel like it's things the athlete can control — whether that's soft tissue issues or just generally not taking care of yourself," Campbell said. "But when it was some of the stuff I was dealing with — broken bones, taking a hit to the knee, brute force — that's stuff I really couldn't control. I think I was just kind of catching some unlucky breaks. But it is what it is, it's a part of my journey, a part of my story.
"But I knew the way I prepared and took care of myself, the real me would show eventually."
Thursday's practice report
