San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell straight up left the game against the Los Angeles Rams this past Thursday, seemingly throwing a hissy fit over being replaced by Dre Greenlaw, who was returning from an injury.
Teammates and coaching staff openly criticized Campbell for his actions. Head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that Campbell would not play for the 49ers again.
Most assumed an immediate and outright release. Instead, the 49ers are literally trying to make him pay.
New reports indicate that 49ers General Manager John Lynch was more involved in the incident than previously thought. Lynch took immediate and direct action after finding out Campbell was refusing to play.
Lynch, apparently, confronted Campbell on the sideline himself, then sent him to the locker room.
Lynch Isn’t Done With De’Vondre Campbell
Matching his intensity during his playing days, Lynch is relentlessly trying to make De’Vondre Campbell pay for committing the ultimate sin of quitting on his team.
Seeking to maximize the punishment, Lynch has reportedly been in discussions with the NFL to explore the possibility of suspending Campbell for the remainder of the season rather than releasing him.
This would ensure the rogue player does not benefit from his actions by signing with another team.
Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer provided the details.
Glazer indicates the 49ers are working with the league to determine the harshest suspension they can levy against Campbell. And while it’s likely the NFLPA would argue to get any suspension reduced, the fact that they can keep him benched for now sounds enticing to Lynch.
Good. Campbell deserves to be riding the bench and not getting paid to do so. It would be a tragic message to other players if he was cut and immediately signed with a new team, in effect being rewarded for his behavior.
The latest from @JayGlazer on Bill Belichick, the relationship between Jalen Hurts & A.J. Brown, and how Pittsburgh got the most out of Russell Wilson this season.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 15, 2024
Plus, more on the situation involving 49ers' De'Vondre Campbell, who elected not to go into Thursday's game vs LA. pic.twitter.com/VtXDfgFv5T
Teammates Are Livid
It isn’t just Lynch and the coach who have given De’Vondre Campbell a well-deserved hard time over his actions. His teammates have ripped him to shreds as well.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward absolutely torched his fellow Niner, calling the move to self-bench “some sucker stuff.”
“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,” Ward told reporters.
Tight end George Kittle didn’t pull any punches.
“I’ve never been around anybody that’s done that, and I hope I’m never around anyone that does that again,” he stated following the game.