SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have announced the suspension of linebacker De’Vondre Campbell for the remainder of the regular season after he declined to participate in a game following the loss of his starting position.
General manager John Lynch revealed on Monday that Campbell would face a suspension spanning three games for actions considered harmful to the team. This announcement follows a recent incident in which Campbell refused to enter the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams, an act that was criticized by both coaches and teammates as “selfish.” Head coach Kyle Shanahan commented that Campbell would no longer play for the team, leaving the decision between a suspension or potential release.
The team decided to suspend Campbell instead. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, NFL teams are permitted to suspend players for up to four games without pay for detrimental conduct, in addition to imposing fines equivalent to one week’s salary.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir expressed his feelings regarding the situation, stating, “I just lost all respect… I’m a person that’s going 110% every play. I just feel like he’s a cancer to the team.” Campbell is currently earning a base salary of approximately $67,000 each week due to the one-year, $5 million contract he signed in March 2023. As a result of his suspension, Campbell forfeits the opportunity to receive weekly roster bonuses of $60,000, as the team may seek to recover around $111,000 from his signing bonus.
Had the 49ers opted to waive him, Campbell could have easily signed with or been claimed by another team. Up until his benching, Campbell had been a regular starter, participating in 12 of the first 13 games this season and playing 90% of the team’s defensive snaps. His position was impacted when Dre Greenlaw returned to the lineup for the first time since dealing with an Achilles tendon injury incurred during the previous season’s Super Bowl.
During a moment in the third quarter, after Greenlaw experienced soreness in his Achilles, the coaching staff sought to reinsert Campbell into the game. However, Campbell refused to comply, a situation that Shanahan noted had never happened to him in his career. Defensive end Nick Bosa mentioned sensing some frustration from Campbell before the game but chose not to address it, fearing it would distract the team.
“In the locker room before the game, I heard some complaining,” Bosa said. “I was going to say something but didn’t because I didn’t want to create more of a distraction. But I kind of felt it.” He added that he didn’t anticipate the situation escalating as it did, emphasizing he has no regrets about not addressing Campbell’s demeanor pre-game.
Following the game, Campbell departed the field with a towel over his head and chose to head to the locker room early, which left his teammates frustrated and confused. Nonetheless, Bosa insisted that Campbell’s actions do not reflect a broader dysfunction within the locker room. “This locker room is great,” he affirmed. “It’s always been great. But sometimes when you bring somebody who’s older in from a different place, you don’t know.” He acknowledged that while Campbell was a good guy, it was clear there are no issues plaguing the team culture overall.
At 31 years of age, Campbell joined the 49ers during the offseason after being released by the Green Bay Packers. In 2021, he was recognized as an All-Pro player, but his performance has declined in recent seasons, which he attributed to being mismanaged in Green Bay. Although he expressed enthusiasm about joining a new team, Campbell struggled to recapture his former glory in San Francisco, exhibiting both bright moments and frequent tackling and coverage issues this season.