Many are shocked over why De’Vondre Campbell quit in the 49ers-Rams game on Thursday. When the linebacker was called to replace an injured Dre Greenlaw in the third quarter, he refused to play and left the game, despite him being suited up in uniform. After the 49ers loss, multiple teammates including tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward voiced their disappointment over Campbell’s decision. That said, former linebacker Bart Scott has since shared on ESPN his perspective on why Campbell chose not to play.
Why didn’t De’Vondre Campbell play?
De’Vondre Campbell refused to play likely due to pride and a sense of being slighted by the team, according to Scott on ESPN’s Get Up.
To put things perspective, Scott says that Campbell was essentially a one-year rental that the 49ers signed to replace Greenlaw, who was out for the majority of the season after suffering a severe Achilles injury in Super Bowl LVIII. In the 2024 season, Campbell was the starting linebacker for 12 of 13 games, but was relegated to the sidelines when Greenlaw entered Thursday’s game. When he left the field due to knee soreness, the All-Pro linebacker was passed over again for Dee Winters.
Scott explains that the entire situation was probably “demoralizing for a prideful man that feels like he’s a starter in this league and he has played at a high level.” He says that the team choosing Greenlaw and Winters over him would have made Campbell feel like “a stepchild” and “a rental car.” While Scott himself would not have refused to play and doesn’t excuse Campbell’s decision, he points out that “we have seen many players let pride get in the way of common sense.”
However, NFL analyst Ryan Clark says Campbell should have played on principle, if just to show the team that they should have picked him in the first place. He says that if he had issues with being sidelined, he had many opportunities throughout the week before the game to tell the team that he didn’t want to play.
This situation follows a similar incident with wide receiver Diontae Johnson who refused to play in the Ravens-Eagles game in early December. That said, where Johnson received a suspension by the Ravens for “conduct detrimental to the team,” it’s unclear if the 49ers will do the same for Campbell.
The 49ers’ loss to the Rams makes it unlikely that the team will enter the playoffs.
[Update: Correction. Replaced one instance of Ravens with Rams.]
