Calais Campbell is back in South Florida, this time hunting the Super Bowl ring that has eluded him through 17 seasons in the NFL.

Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive end, signed with Miami on June 13. The former Miami Hurricane is excited to be back in Miami-Dade County, and the Dolphins' Super Bowl expectations are a large part of why he inked a deal for an undisclosed amount.

"I feel like there's a really good opportunity here," Campbell said. "Very talented team all over the field, both offense and defense. I mean, when you go through the roster and who you have, I just see so many people that I feel like we can really play together and really build that team chemistry you need and be a force to reckon with ... I won't go too crazy but it's going to be a really good defense."

A decorated pass-rusher, Campbell appeared in every game for Atlanta last year. It was his first time playing a full season since 2019. He posted 6.5 sacks and 49 total tackles, also his highest mark since 2019. He adds a valuable veteran presence to a Dolphin defense that was riddled with injuries last year. The 37-year-old still feels like he is able to compete at a high level after considering whether or not to retire.

"I thought about [retiring]," he said. "I don't think I thought about it very long though. ... If you're playing football at a high level, why not do it one more time? Just going through that process and trying to figure out if I really want to do it. It really just came down to just with the family, talking to the wife and kids. ... And it really came down to, do I want to go through the process of what it takes to be good again."

Campbell made it to the Super Bowl once in his nearly two-decade career, when the Arizona Cardinals fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 43. It's been a long time since then, and Campbell will suit up for what will be his fifth different team since 2009. But he says there's still gas in the tank, and he can contribute to a team with championship aspirations. His uptick in performance for the Falcons proves just that.

"Because physically, and the desire and love for the game, has never left, not even a little bit," he said. "I mean obviously, there was a time when I was a lot more fast and athletic, but I'm still pretty athletic and still can get the job done on the football field. I have to learn how to use other parts of my game, bring a lot more of the strength part but I still have enough finesse and everything else, I got a full box of little tools. But what keeps me going though is a love for the game."

Campbell reunited with Dolphins new defensive coordinator

Campbell reunites with Miami first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who was the defensive line coach in Baltimore for two of Campbell's three years as a Raven. He says his relationship with Weaver was another deciding factor in coming to Miami.

"Huge, huge [selling point]," he said. "Because I definitely had quite a few teams interested. And I feel like the main reason I wanted to come here was because I really believe in who Anthony Weaver is as a coach and our relationship. We talked a lot during the process, and he knows what I'm capable of doing. He understands my mind and how I see the game, and he trusts it."

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Campbell, a former Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and the winner of the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award for the 2023 season, played for the Hurricanes from 2004-06 before being drafted by Arizona. He endowed the athletic department with a $1.6 million donation in 2015, which still stands as the largest donation from a former athlete in school history. He looks forward to continuing philanthropic efforts in Miami.

"Usually when you go to a new team, you've kind of got to learn the city and learn all the markets and stuff," he said. "So it's hard to kind of get established right away in doing stuff in the community because you've got to learn who to help and where they're at. But because I'm in a city I'm so familiar with, I definitely plan to do a lot.

"I just signed and I've already been talking about it. When this process was going about and I decided to come here, that was part of the process - knowing that I can do a lot of stuff for the community here."

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Calais Campbell signed with Miami Dolphins to help them reach Super Bowl