DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR ANTHONY CAMPANILE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
AUGUST 24, 2026
(On the value of joint practices and the test Tampa Bay will bring) “Yeah, I think they’re a
very good football team, watching their first two preseason games. They’re always physical.
Coach Bowles’ [Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles] teams have always been physical.
And I think that it’s going to be a great challenge for us. I think we’ve gotten a lot out of the
work we’ve gotten already, down in New Orleans and here with Carolina. You learn a lot
about your guys. Who jumps out in those settings, that’s important. So even in the
preseason games, I think we’ve gotten a lot out of that.”
(On the matchup of DE Josh Hines-Allen and Buccaneers OL Tristan Wirfs) “Yeah, I think
that’s a great challenge. Those are two great players. The cool thing about any of these
settings when you’re going against somebody else is, it’s competitive. You’ll see those guys.
You’ll see the best version of themselves, I’m sure. And I’m sure they’re looking forward to it
too.”
(On the importance of individual players knowing every role on the defense) “Well, I think
it’s all built on trust. I’ve said that before, and the more you understand about everyone’s
role in the defense, the more you understand why it’s so important to do your job. And when
you’re out there with guys who know what they’re doing, they’re communicating loudly. And
we say in that room that volume reflects confidence. When you’re making a call, it should
be a loud, guttural call, so everybody knows, and everybody trusts each other so we can all
go play fast. So, I think that’s a big part of it. It’s probably what he’s referring to.”
(On building trust and accountability) “That’s real in the meetings. Like every time you’re
watching a play, guys have to make calls. And in the meeting room setting, you often know
who knows it really well and who doesn’t know it that well. Because you hear it, right?
They’re speaking confidently, or somebody is a little bit monotone, and that means that
they’re not quite sure. So, what you’re trying to do at all times, whether it’s in the
walkthroughs, in the meetings, in the practice, is demand communication, so you develop
trust. I think that’s a big part of it.”
(On the run defense) “If you’re playing good run defense, you’re trying to eliminate as much
50-50 ball as you can. And in any event, whether you’re doing a great job in a pass game or
the run game, if you’re making somebody one dimensional, that’s a good thing. But what I
will say is I kind of see that vice versa, meaning that we’ve gotten a lot better going against
the guys we’re going against every day. Last year and this year. I think our offensive line
coaches have done an unbelievable job, and Liam [Head Coach Liam Coen] is a guy that
he’s going to pound the rock. He believes in that, so that’s something that’s really helped us
defensively. Practicing physicality and getting the opportunity to go against guys who are
technicians and who are coaching finish every day, so that’s where we’ve benefited from
that as well.”
(On DE Bryan Thomas Jr.) “He definitely has shown me some things. He’s played explosively
in the games, and I think he’s jumped out. His play style, his effort, that’s jumped out. And
that’s what we saw in him watching his tape at South Carolina. He was a guy that was going
to run and hit. He was going to play his ass off every play. That’s what, honestly, we really
liked about him and we were fired up to get him in here for that reason. He’s proven to do
that here in the summer and since the spring, since he’s been here.”
(On Browns QB Deshaun Watson) “I got the opportunity to coach against him in college
when I was at Boston College and he was at Clemson. He was a phenomenal player, so we
didn’t have too much success against him that night when I was at BC. But he’s a great
player, and he’s certainly going to be a challenge. The stuff they’re doing, just watching him
to this point, they’re doing a lot of really good stuff. They’re doing a great job.”
(On when he starts Week 1 preparation) “We always kind of try to peak and stay up on as
much as you can, when you have, I don’t know if you have any downtime, but if you have
downtime, you’re trying to go around and just around the league watching as much as you
can. So yeah, that’s always part of it this time of year too.”
(On CB Christian Braswell) “Yeah, Bras, he’s done a great job to fight his way back. That’s
kind of who he is, though too. He’s a guy who gives you maximum effort. He’s a high-
character guy. He’s got a ton of talent. He’s an explosive guy, whether that’s on special
teams or defense, he’s been a guy that we can rely on. It’s good to get him back, where he’s
feeling good and watch him get out there and run around a little bit. And he went to a great
university, so that’s always a good thing for him (laughs).”
(On S Jalen Huskey) “Yeah, Jalen, he’s got room for growth, like anybody, like any young guy
at this point, but he’s done some good things and he’s working hard to get better. He’s done
what we’ve asked of him to this point. So, I’m pleased with where he’s at but obviously, he’s
got room to grow, and we’re trying to help him do that. He’s putting in a lot of good effort
right now.”
(On the importance of S Caleb Ransaw getting game experience) “Yeah, for any guy in a lot
of ways, from a repetition perspective, he’s really in that. A lot like the rookies, right? He
didn’t get to play last year, so a lot of this stuff is new for him and you get better at football
by playing football, so the more football he plays, the more it benefits him. And he needs
that, like you said, he needs the pace to get out there and feel the pace of everything. So,
I’ve seen a jump in him and I thought he really had a good week last week.”
(On if he has liked the way Ransaw has responded) “Yeah, I think he had a good week last
week. I think even in the game, there’s things that you always want to clean up and correct,
but he’s done a good job being diligent about that and trying to get those things corrected
even in the last two days. I see really good detail with him. Yesterday’s practice, I thought he
had a really good day. We went through a bunch of stuff in here, and I thought he did a really
good job.”
(On S Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig) “Yeah, Cam’s always been a guy that you can rely on to do
his job. He’s a very smart guy. I think he made a huge play for us down in New Orleans at
the end of the game. And that’s something that you can really count on with him. He’s
fighting his tail off every day to get the most production he possibly can with the reps that
he has. So, he’s been a guy that obviously was on our team last year and did a good job for
us, and he’s done a pretty good job in camp so far. So, I know he’s excited about this next
game and this opportunity for the joint practice.”
(On the final week of camp before roster cuts) “It’s really crucial. It’s all serious. Everything
matters and I think you always got to be honest and fair with the guys and tell them what’s
being evaluated. We went back through that when they come into camp, we tell them
what’s being evaluated. We went back through that after the game yesterday morning,
talking about what we’re actually looking at and the guys who are on the bubble trying to
make the team. That’s what we need to see out of you and at the end of the day, it’s a
results-based business, in terms of how we’re all judged, right? Are we producing? Are we
productive? Coaches and players, so you always have to be aware of that.”
WIDE RECEIVER BRIAN THOMAS JR.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
AUGUST 24, 2026
(On his biggest area of growth during camp) “I would say just being a better leader and
being better with my communication. Whether that’s with the coaching staff, Trevor [QB
Trevor Lawrence], the wide receivers. I would say that’s probably been the biggest thing for
me. I was just being super intentional about that. Just trying to grow in all the little things.”
(On his relationship with Head Coach Liam Coen) “It’s grown a lot. Like I said, just trying to
be intentional about those little things. Being communicative about the things that I’m
seeing and just listening to the things that he’s seeing so we can be better as an offense
and be better as a group. Trying to take all those things in and just going out there and apply
it on the field so, like I said, we can be better as a group.”
(On the importance of taking a leadership role for the young receivers) “I would say it’s
super important for me to do that because, I mean, I’ve had some good guys that have done
that for me. Whether it was the people from my rookie year, whether it’s Jakobi [WR Jakobi
Meyers] doing it, and then just us going into year two of the system, we know a little bit
more than I would say they do of how the coach sees things and how the coach wants
things. So just trying to bring them up to speed on little stuff like that. I would say that’s
probably been the biggest thing that I’ve been trying to do. How they’re running routes and
trying to give them tips or teach them how to do certain little things just to help them out,
just to give them little game on certain things.”
(On WR CJ Williams) “He’s just been hooping. He’s been doing all the little things. He’s
been doing everything right. He’s super smart, super physical. With all the new guys, that
was the biggest thing that I saw with them coming in. They were all super smart and they
picked up on the offense super quick.”
(On the potential for the ball to be spread out among the receivers) “I wouldn’t say that’s
weird. It just goes to compliment the offense that we have and goes to compliment all the
work that we put in for each and every one of us to be able to go out there and do big things.
I mean, I would just say it compliments us, and we complement each other. Being able to
do different things. We all can go out there and do a lot and just be able to spread the ball
around and be in the right spots where we’re supposed to be.”
(On whether joint practices can be more productive than preseason games) “I would say
so. I actually like the joints better than going out there and playing in that. I mean, because I
feel like we get more work done during the joints. And I feel like people are actually going
out there and giving it everything during the practice. So, I feel like we get a lot more out of it
than that.”
(On his chemistry with QB Trevor Lawrence) “I would say the biggest thing is just being in
the right spot at the right time. Like, I know his drop, or how quick it’s going to be, and I know
how much time I got to get to my spot. So, I mean, I would say that’s probably the biggest
thing, just being in the right spots at the right time. I wouldn’t say there’s stuff that we go out
there and just do that we don’t have to communicate. I mean, we really communicate a lot
out there, and we have to be super communicative. I feel like just being in the right spot and
being at the right time, I feel like that’s probably the biggest thing for sure.”
(On whether he’s ready for the regular season to start) “Yeah, for sure. But I mean, I take it
day by day. I just want to finish out these joints strong, and then get ready, get my body
ready, get ready for the season. Really just taking it day by day, staying focused on the task
at hand.”
(On the opportunity for WR CJ Williams to get more reps) “I mean, it’s a great opportunity
for him. Just want to come out here and, like I said, he’s super smart. He knows a lot of the
offense. So, just coming out here and doing what he does. He knows what to do, and he
knows how to play. Just doing all the little things, doing everything that he’s been doing.”
(On his performance in joint practice vs. Tampa Bay in 2024) “Yeah, for sure. I would say
that was a big confidence boost for me, because I wasn’t having the best camp my rookie
year. Just being able to go out there and have a good joint practice, I would say that was a
super big confidence boost for me, just letting me know that I can do this and keep my
head up and just keep pushing.”
(On who he is excited to see on Tampa Bay) “Nah, not really. Well, I got a former teammate,
Josh Williams, I used to be close with there, so, I mean, he’s probably the only one
(laughs).”
(On his relationship with WR/CB Travis Hunter and Hunter calling him in the morning on the
way into the facility) “For the most part, I pick up. Sometimes I might decline and send him
a little text, ‘I’m on the way,’ or something like that. But yeah, for the most part, I pick up. I
mean, he’s a great guy, great dude, great teammate, great brother, man. I wish nothing but
the best for him. I just pray that we keep growing and wish all the best for him.”
