De’Vondre Campbell broke his silence, addressing his controversial decision to not enter the San Francisco 49ers‘ Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams this past season.
In a post on his personal X account, Campbell said, “I’m rich and never have to work another day of my life. I told Kyle Shannahan and John Lynch that when they FaceTime me and begged me to come out there an hour after Green Bay cut me.”
“I play because I WANT TO,” he added.
Campbell’s outcry on Saturday came as a retort to a post from 49ers’ talking head Seth Floyd. Before that, Campbell hadn’t commented on his actions, which earned him a three-game suspension and departure from the team.
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Campbell also lost the respect of his teammates. Defensive back Charvarius Ward called the move “selfish.” Tight end George Kittle referred to Campbell as “stupid” and “immature.”
“I’ve never been around anybody that’s ever done that,” Kittle said, “and I hope I’m never around anybody who does that again.”
Campbell had started 12 of the 49ers’ 13 games to that point, filling in admirably for Dre Greenlaw, who had torn his left Achilles tendon in the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Greenlaw made his return in that Week 15 game against the Rams, taking back his starting spot. But when he started feeling soreness in his Achilles, Shanahan and the 49ers asked Campbell to step up and he refused.
“His actions from the game are not something you can do to your team,” Shanahan said at the time.
Rams beat 49ers 12-6, De’Vondre Campbell ‘quit’ on his team | Breakfast Ball
Campbell spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. He then had a one-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals, before spending three seasons with the Green Bay Packers and one with the 49ers. Campbell, 31, is an unrestricted free agent heading into his 10th season.
Shanahan made it clear that the 49ers are not interested in bringing him back.
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