San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams in the third quarter, heading to the locker room. Initially, it was thought he had been injured, even though he hadn’t played. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan later revealed a more surprising reason for his departure.
In the third quarter, Campbell was asked to replace linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who had left due to knee soreness, but unexpectedly, Campbell declined. Shanahan told reporters postgame that Campbell simply stated he didn’t want to play that day and didn’t provide further explanation.
Shanahan, visibly frustrated, acknowledged that this was a first for him as a coach but decided not to dwell on it during the game and permitted Campbell to leave.
Teammates were caught off guard by Campbell’s actions, with most only learning about it after the game. Many chose to stay silent, but cornerback Charvarius Ward expressed his discontent. “He’s a professional who has been in the league for a long time,” Ward said. “If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have suited up. He could have told us that before the game.
“I think it was really selfish of him. It hurt the team because we needed a linebacker when Dee Winters went down.” Ward suggested that Campbell might soon be released, to which Shanahan replied, “We’ll figure something out, but I don’t know right now.”
Tight end George Kittle also voiced his disappointment, stating, “If you’re on the roster and suited up, you’re expected to play. I think everyone here would jump at the chance to get on the field. Whatever was going on with him, it wasn’t fair to the organization or the team.”
Kittle added that while Campbell’s actions were disappointing, they weren’t the reason for the team’s loss. Still, he emphasized that such reluctance to engage in the game was detrimental, especially given the team had already lost two linebackers.
Shanahan dismissed any notion that Campbell’s actions indicated he had lost the locker room, calling it a personal decision by Campbell. “I haven’t lost anyone. That’s a guy who doesn’t want to play football. It’s as simple as that,” he stated, expressing confidence that the team felt the same way.
Kittle concurred, underscoring that Campbell’s decision did not reflect the team’s culture. “That’s just one person choosing not to play for the team,” he said, emphasizing his discomfort with such behavior. He deemed it “immature” and “stupid,” expressing disbelief that someone could treat their teammates that way.
