When De’Vondre Campbell was asked to enter Thursday night’s game, he refused.
He was replaced in the lineup by Dre Greenlaw, who made his season debut after tearing his Achilles in last year’s Super Bowl. After Greenlaw experienced knee tightness in the third quarter, the coaching staff turned to Campbell and prompted him to get ready.
Not only did Campbell refuse to enter the game, but he also left the field altogether — much to the dismay of everyone, including his head coach. Teammates like Charvarius Ward and George Kittle expressed their frustration, saying Campbell will likely be cut and adding that they hope to never deal with a situation like this again.
Former players turned TV analysts, like Ryan Clark, took it even further.
While the 49ers’ locker room stopped short of saying Campbell shouldn’t play in the league again, they called his actions “sucker sh*t.”
Here is the whole Mooney Ward exchange on De’Vondre Campbell refusing to go into the game tonight.
Mooney was brutally honest about a guy who appeared to quit on his team. #49ers | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/CT6zNcC4t1
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) December 13, 2024
They left it to Clark to say outright that Campbell shouldn’t play in the NFL at all.
“As great as Fred Warner is, everyone felt like Dre Greenlaw was actually the heartbeat of this defense — actually the heartbeat of this team,” Clark said on Friday’s edition of Get Up. “When you watch the beginning of that game, there was no player that popped more than No. 57. So, if you’re De’Vondre Campbell, you have to be able to see that. And you also miss the fact that if I’m De’Vondre Campbell, I’m not only playing to show that I could be a valuable part of the San Francisco 49ers.”
Clark also emphasized the respect Greenlaw had earned in San Francisco — respect Campbell hadn’t.
“I’m playing to show Mike Tannenbaum, who may be over in New York, who may be over in Miami, that I could be a valuable piece to their locker room,” continued Clark. “That it’s not just about my former All-Pro years and what I can do in the grass, it’s about the leadership that I can provide in the locker room. It’s about having some sort of football integrity, some sort of football character. And for people like us, Bart [Scott], right? The people that weren’t entitled to anything. The people that were cut off of football teams. The people that nobody called on draft day, my big thing to say, freak you, or my big thing to say that ‘I’m better’ or ‘You not treating me the right way’ was to go out and ball.
“Was to go out and say, ‘Put the film on, look at 57, look at 59, and tell me who played better.’ And what he also has to remember: he has no deposits into the San Francisco 49ers’ emotional bank account. Dre Greenlaw has all of those deposits. If you remember when that man was running off the sideline and tore his Achilles, not only were the San Francisco 49ers dejected, the first thing No. 15 [Patrick Mahomes] of the Kansas City Chiefs said on the other side is, ‘Dre Greenlaw’s down.'”
.@Realrclark25 did not mince words on 49ers LB De’Vondre Campbell refusing to play and leaving the game early vs. the Rams 😯 pic.twitter.com/24DDVf5Wjx
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 13, 2024
“That’s the sort of man that you’re replacing, and you did a good job,” he added. “Now, do the rest of your job. And when you’re called upon again, stand up for your team.”
But Campbell didn’t do that. And it’s Clark’s opinion that “As a brotherhood, he should never play again.”
Like, ever again.
“Why would you want him on your team?” Clark asked.
There’s a shred of sympathy here. Bart Scott argued that no one should judge a man at his lowest moment. It’s been mentioned that Campbell might have been dealing with something internally that no one can put a finger on but him. But, as Clark and Campbell’s teammates made clear when you put on the jersey, you’re expected to play when called upon.
And Clark, who has aspirations of being a Power Four head coach or even general manager, wouldn’t have a player like that on his roster — ever.
[Get Up]
