Though healthy and suited up, San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter Thursday night’s 12-6 loss against the Los Angeles Rams.
San Francisco tight end George Kittle and 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward shared their opinions on Campbell’s actions after the loss. Kittle ripped Campbell’s decision and Ward said he expects Campbell to be cut.
Campbell’s refusal to play also quickly morphed into one of the top stories nationally in sports.
On Friday morning, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith sounded off on the incident and blasted Campbell on his show “First Take.” Smith called Campbell’s NFL playing future into question.
“If it were me, he would have been cut before he left the locker room. … His career is in grave jeopardy, and it should be.”
—@stephenasmith on 49ers LB De’Vondre Campbell refusing to play and leaving the game early vs. the Rams pic.twitter.com/5XxfUExxhh
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 13, 2024
“If it were me, he would have been cut before he left the locker room. He wouldn’t have made it out of the locker room as a San Francisco 49er. I’ll be honest with you. His career is in grave jeopardy and it should be. You don’t want a teammate like that. De’Vondre Campbell should be ashamed of himself. There is no excuse for what he did,” Smith said.
Fellow ESPN analyst Ryan Clark agreed with Smith’s assessment and said as much earlier on in the morning on “Get Up.”
“In my opinion as a brotherhood, he should never play again. Ever again,” Clark said. “Why would you want him on your team?”
Campbell’s refusal to play came with San Francisco in a bind at the position. 49ers linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Dee Winters were sidelined with respective knee and neck injuries.
It also came during a game that essentially killed the 49ers’ postseason hopes. With the loss, San Francisco (6-8) has now lost four of its past five games and fell into the NFC West cellar with just three games remaining in the 2024 regular season.
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.
