Following the San Francisco 49ers’ ugly loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, Kyle Shanahan revealed a surprise turn from a veteran linebacker.
According to Shanahan, 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter the game, and exited the sideline to the locker room. Shanahan told reporters that Campbell didn’t want to play football on Thursday night. The 49ers asked Campbell to enter the game when Dre Greenlaw was sidelined with an injury, and the 31-year-old veteran linebacker refused.
After the game, Campbell’s teammates were asked about his decision. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward didn’t hold back with a brutally honest reaction, saying he believes Campbell will be released.
Via @mattblively on Twitter:
Here is the whole Mooney Ward exchange on De'Vondre Campbell refusing to go into the game tonight.
Mooney was brutally honest about a guy who appeared to quit on his team. #49ers | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/CT6zNcC4t1
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) December 13, 2024
He’s a professional. He’s been playing for a long time. If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have dressed out. He could’ve told me that before the game. So I feel like that was some sucker sh-t that he did. It definitely hurt the team, cause you know, Dee [Winters] went down, and we needed a linebacker, and I think Flan [Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles] was banged up, too. So, for him to do that, that’s some sucker stuff to me. He’s probably going to get cut soon.
Campbell has played in 13 games with the 49ers after signing in the Bay Area in the offseason. Campbell has played nine seasons in the NFL, playing for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. In 13 games with the 49ers, including 12 starts, Campbell has recorded 79 tackles and three tackles for loss.
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