As he commences a season that was preceded by multiple attempts to bring in the man who would replace him, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell is embracing his role as a team leader.
We’re told that he’s taking charge like never before in practice, yelling at teammates and grabbing them in the huddle, when the need arises.
And his attitude came through when Campbell spoke to the media on Wednesday.
“We all have to be focused,” he said. “Being a leader of a football team, practice goes the way you come out here and participate. You play upbeat. I’m coming out here, we’re having fun and guys are paying attention to detail. Of course we make mistakes out here at the same time, but there are things you do to correct it. It’s all about how you bounce back and continue to move forward.”
Campbell also has landed on the cover of the training-camp edition Sports Illustrated, next to the caption “Pressure Points And Pivotal Players.”
In the last year of his rookie contract, Campbell is definitely under pressure. But he’s also going to be pivotal to the Redskins’ chances in 2009. (Maybe that’s why they put his picture next to those words.)
So in a conference that’s flatter than a runny pancake, we think the Redskins’ chances are better than most people realize, as pointed out in our latest offering for SportingNews.com.