During Thursday night’s 12-6 loss against NFC West rival Los Angeles, San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was seen exiting the Levi’s Stadium field with helmet in hand.
Campbell’s fourth quarter exit wasn’t injury related, though. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed afterwards that Campbell refused to enter the game.
The 49ers were dealing with injuries to linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Dee Winters and needed an able body in a tight game against a division foe. Campbell’s decision to suit up but not play understandably angered his 49er teammates.
San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward said afterward that he thinks Campbell will be cut soon.
One of the 49ers’ top stars, tight end George Kittle, shared his thoughts on Campbell’s actions.
“Not disbelief or disconnection like as a team. That is one person who just decided not to play for his teammates. I don’t think that, that doesn’t make our offense look at each other and be like, ‘Wow, man, we’re falling apart.’
“Or the defense, ‘Hey, we’re falling apart.’ It’s more of one person making a, I think Mooney said it, a selfish decision and I’m with Mooney on that. I’ve never been around anybody that’s done that and I hope I’m never around anybody that does that again,” Kittle said.
George Kittle on De’Vondre Campbell refusing to go into the game:
“I’ve never been around anybody that’s ever done that, and I hope I’m never around anyone that does that again.” pic.twitter.com/YAzgstVXej
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) December 13, 2024
Kittle said he didn’t find out about Campbell’s decision until after the game was final.
“I didn’t really hear anything about it until I got into the locker room, so it’s all brand new information to me. Look, if you’re on the roster and you’re going to suit up, you’re expected to play. I think anyone in this building that got asked to go in, I would say that 100 percent of everybody would die to get on that football field.
“And so, people go through, are going through random things off the field. I can’t speak on that. Whatever his decision was, it wasn’t for this organization, it wasn’t for this team and that’s on him. I’m not very happy about it. I would’ve had something to say about it. I wish I would’ve heard about it on the field, but I didn’t. Now, is that the reason we lost? Absolutely not. But, it’s hard to win football games when someone doesn’t want to play football, especially when you’re suited up,” Kittle said.
It only makes matters worse given the magnitude of the game. With the loss, San Francisco (6-8) has now dropped four of its past five and has tumbled out of the NFC West chase.
Campbell started 12 of the 49ers’ first 13 games. The 6-foot-4, 232 pound linebacker played 90% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps with 79 tackles, including three for loss, and a pair of passes defended.
