Toughness of Dolphins' Dan Campbell recalled by former teammate

When he was at the podium last week for the press conference announcing him as the Dolphins' interim head coach, Dan Campbell spoke of making practices more competitive and changing the culture around the team; in days since, he's said he wants his team to be tougher.

Toughness is certainly something Campbell knows a thing or two about. It of course takes a level of toughness to play in the NFL, and as a tight end, as Campbell was, to take on defensive players who are often heavier than you.

But Campbell's former teammate, Sean Ryan, gave an indication of how tough the now 39-year old is during an appearance on NFL Network's "Around the NFL."

Ryan told a story from 2005, recalling sitting on the flight from Texas to California for Cowboys' training camp with his fellow tight ends, Campbell and Jason Witten. Back then, Campbell was the veteran, starting his seventh season, though his second with the Cowboys; Ryan was entering his second year in the NFL and Witten his third.

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Throughout the five-hour flight, Campbell gave no indication that anything was wrong. But when Ryan and Witten met with position coach Paul Pasqualoni for the first tight ends meeting, Campbell wasn't there.

"Guys - Dan's in the emergency room right now," Pasqualoni said, according to Ryan.

Campbell's appexdix had exploded during the flight. Generally an incredibly painful experience for most mortals, Campbell never said a word to his teammates or coaches until they had landed in Oxnard.

He missed a week of practice, and was chosen by his teammates as that year's Ed Block Courage Award winner.

"It was to the point where they were trying to hold him off the field so the stitiches would heal," Ryan said. "He was just itching to get back on the practice field. He's just a testament to the old-time tough guys."

The Dolphins had their first practice under Campbell last week, but were on their bye. The 1-3 team and its new head coach will play at Tennessee this week.

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