Will Campbell steps into Super Bowl spotlight after rookie-year grind in New England

Will Campbell’s first NFL season was supposed to be about learning on the fly, absorbing a pro playbook, and surviving the week-to-week physical toll of the trenches. Instead, it has ended with a far bigger stage: Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 (ET), where the New England Patriots are back in the title game and their rookie left tackle is expected to play a central role in protecting the offense.

Campbell, 22, arrived with top-five draft expectations and a reputation as one of the most pro-ready linemen in years. He has spent the months since proving he can handle elite edge rushers—while also navigating an injury setback and becoming an unlikely off-field talking point for a very different reason.

From LSU cornerstone to top-five pick

Campbell was a multi-year starter at LSU and a decorated SEC lineman before declaring for the draft. The Patriots selected him fourth overall in 2025, immediately penciling him in as a franchise left tackle—one of the most demanding jobs in football because it often comes with the responsibility of protecting the quarterback’s blind side.

The team’s decision to invest so heavily in a rookie tackle signaled a clear plan: stabilize the offensive line, accelerate the offense’s growth, and build around a young core with a premium position locked down for years.

An injury detour, then a return at the right time

Campbell’s rookie campaign included a significant interruption when he suffered a knee injury diagnosed as a Grade 3 MCL sprain during the regular season. He missed several games as he recovered, then returned late in the year as New England pushed toward the playoffs.

By the time the postseason arrived, Campbell was back in the lineup and taking full-speed reps—exactly what the Patriots needed. Offensive line continuity can define January football, and Campbell’s availability has been treated inside the team as a key piece of keeping the offense functional against the league’s best defenses.

Why Campbell matters in a Super Bowl game plan

Left tackle is a position that rarely produces highlight clips but often dictates whether highlight plays happen at all. In the Super Bowl, that importance spikes.

Campbell’s assignment is typically the defense’s most disruptive edge threat, especially in obvious passing situations. Winning those snaps means:

• fewer rushed throws,

• more time for deeper concepts to develop,

• and a better chance to avoid drive-killing sacks or strip attempts.

Even one missed block can swing a championship possession, which is why coaching staffs obsess over tackle technique, communication on stunts, and the small tells that elite pass rushers use to set up a move.

The viral side story: Campbell’s “fear of cats”

In the week leading into the Super Bowl, Campbell became a surprising conversation topic after sharing a personal story: he said he is afraid of cats, tracing it to an incident as a teenager when a cat attacked him at a friend’s house.

It’s a small human-interest moment in the middle of a high-stakes sports week, and that’s precisely why it traveled. Super Bowl build-up often turns unknown players into familiar faces overnight, and Campbell’s blunt, matter-of-fact storytelling helped make him one of the more discussed linemen on a roster usually defined by anonymous toughness.

Spotlight on his relationship and growing public profile

Campbell’s off-field visibility has also been boosted by interest in his relationship with Ashlynn Nussmeier, who has been seen at games and on social media supporting him. She comes from a football family, which has added to the curiosity around the couple during the postseason run.

None of that changes what happens at the line of scrimmage, but it does reflect how quickly the Super Bowl turns role players—especially young ones—into public figures with storylines beyond football.

What comes next after the final whistle

For Campbell, the Super Bowl is both an ending and a beginning. Win or lose, a rookie left tackle starting on this stage sets expectations for year two: better technique, fewer penalties, stronger chemistry with the rest of the line, and the physical durability required to hold up over a full season.

If he plays well, the Patriots leave the season believing they solved one of the hardest problems in team-building. If he struggles, the offseason conversation will be immediate and loud—because in the NFL, the blind side is never a quiet place to learn.

Sources consulted: New England Patriots, NFL, People, Yahoo Sports