Tommie Campbell didn’t take the typical route to professional football. But not much about Tommie Campbell is typical, though.

In this edition of the Stampeders Up Close Podcast, we sit down for a candid conversation with Campbell about the academic issues that caused him to work as a janitor while his football career was on hold, coming from a football-famous town called Aliquippa, and how he contemplated retirement after the heartbreaking overtime loss in the Grey Cup last season.

The rangy 6-foot-3 cornerback started in all 18 games in the 2016 season and had 71 defensive tackles, three interceptions and nine knockdowns. He was named a West Division all-star and a CFL all-star during that campaign. He was this close to tasting victory in the Grey Cup in what would have been his first football championship ever.

While he may look fearless on the field, there is one thing that scares Campbell: flying in airplanes. Campbell tells us how a turbulence-filled flight to Denver almost made him scratch traveling the rest of the way to Calgary’s training camp. Traveling is something that still plagues him. He reveals that the movie “Alive” hasn’t helped his flying phobia – hard to believe!

One thing Tommie is not afraid of is opposing offences. Lucky for Stampeders fans!

Photo by Rob McMorris