49ers Set to Cut Starter for Refusing to Enter Game: ‘Stupid’ and ‘Selfish’

When Kyle Shanahan turned to play linebacker De’Vondre Campbell in the third quarter of Thursday night’s game against the Rams, he was surprised by the response he received. 

“He said he didn’t want to play tonight,” Shanahan told reporters after the game. He added that Campbell didn’t give him a reason. 

It appears Campbell has played his last snap with San Francisco. While still on the roster as of Friday morning, Shanahan indicated in his Friday press conference that the team was ready to move on. 

“We’re working through the semantics of exactly how to deal with it,” Shanahan said. “I mean, you guys heard from me last night. You guys heard from our players. His actions from the game is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team.”

After Thursday’s game, Shanahan said he didn’t try to talk Campbell into playing once he refused. 

“When someone says that, you move on. You don’t deal with that anymore, Shanahan elaborated. “That’s somebody who doesn’t want to play football, that’s pretty simple. I think our team and myself, we know how we feel about that. I don’t think we need to talk about him anymore.”

Campbell had been the team’s starter all season, filling in for Dre Greenlaw, who tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl back in February. Greenlaw returned Thursday and started over Campbell, playing the entire first half. When Greenlaw experienced knee tightness in the third quarter, Shanahan turned to Campbell, who refused to enter the game and was seen on Amazon’s cameras walking to the locker room with a towel on his head shortly afterward.

His teammates skewered him in their postgame comments. 

“I think that’s ignorant,” star tight end George Kittle said. “And I think it’s just dumb. It’s just stupid, and it’s very immature. I just don’t see how you could do something like that to your team. It’s one person making a selfish decision. I’ve never been around anybody that’s ever done that, and I hope I’m never around anyone that does that again.” 

“That was some sucker shit … probably gonna get cut soon,” cornerback Mooney Ward added.

Campbell is a nine-year veteran and former All-Pro who signed with the Niners before the season. He’s played 90% of the team’s defensive snaps this year, according to Pro Football Reference.

The 31-year-old was still on the roster as of Friday morning, but posted on Instagram in a since-deleted story, “Someone is about to get a great football player that’s been badly misused. O well let’s get it though.” 

ESPN’s Ryan Clark, a former Steelers safety, said Friday morning that his career should be over.

“He should never play again,” Clark said. “Why would you want him on your team?”