The San Francisco 49ers plan to part ways with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said during a conference call on Friday that the 49ers are making preparations to move on from the veteran linebacker.
“We’re working the semantics of exactly how to deal with it. But 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,” Shanahan said. “We’re working through exactly the semantics of it right now. But we’ll handle the situation appropriately.”
Later, Shanahan added that he doesn’t expect Campbell to be a member of the 49ers since Campbell’s abrupt exit during the 49ers’ 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
According to Shanahan, the ninth-year linebacker refused to enter the game in the third quarter when asked to check in to replace linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
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The Prime Video cameras captured footage of Campbell, helmet in hand, walking off the field and heading to the locker room.
Campbell started 12 games for the 49ers this season. He was replaced Thursday in the starting lineup by Greenlaw, who made his season debut. Greenlaw was playing his first game since suffering a torn Achilles in Super Bowl 58.
After Greenlaw experienced what Shanahan described as “tightness” in the second half, Campbell apparently refused to replace him at linebacker.
“That is one person who decided not to play for his teammates,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said after the game Thursday night. “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 anybody that does that again.”
Campbell was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2016 NFL draft. The 31-year-old linebacker has played for the Falcons, Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers before joining the 49ers this year on a one-year deal.
Unfortunately for Campbell, his mid-game exit will be the lasting memory of his 49ers tenure.
