DECEMBER 16: The 49ers will indeed move forward with a suspension, Rapoport reports; the move is now official. Campbell will be out for the final three contests of the season, and he will forfeit his game checks for that period in addition to any potential lost signing bonus money. Given San Francisco’s decision not to waive Campbell, he will turn his attention to free agency this spring where his value will have obviously taken a notable hit.
DECEMBER 15: The 49ers signed De’Vondre Campbell to work as a stopgap during Dre Greenlaw‘s recovery from Achilles surgery. That run lasted 13 games, with the longtime starter not making his season debut until Thursday. But Greenlaw did not make it through his opener unscathed, leading to one of the stranger situations any team has encountered this season.
Campbell refused a fourth-quarter assignment to come in on defense, instead walking to the 49ers’ locker room during the team’s 12-6 loss to the Rams. This obviously angered teammates, and Kyle Shanahan confirmed Campbell is done with the team. The 49ers, however, are not expected to waive the veteran defender immediately. Instead, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates a suspension will likely come first.
If the 49ers suspend Campbell, they can recover part of his $3.35MM signing bonus. A refusal to play constitutes a forfeitable breach of contract, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes, opening the door to San Francisco going after part of the bonus. This avenue will make it somewhat costly for Campbell, who signed a one-year, $5MM deal in March — after Eric Kendricks backtracked on a 49ers commitment to join the Cowboys.
This action would only lead to Campbell losing $234K, per Florio, should the 49ers ban him for one game. Four void years are included in Campbell’s contract, spreading out the bonus. That will limit what the 49ers can go after, but they look likely to do what is possible to reduce Campbell’s compensation. This move will also prevent him from catching on elsewhere and bouncing back immediately. Considering the anger Campbell’s refusal to play caused in the locker room, the team preventing a smooth exit makes sense here.
Campbell, 31, having to pay back a portion of a bonus already sent to him would mark an ignominious ending for him in San Francisco — and perhaps as an NFLer altogether. The Falcons drafted Campbell during Shanahan’s second season as their OC, giving the current 49ers HC some familiarity with a player who had started for Atlanta, Arizona and Green Bay. The Packers re-signed Campbell to a five-year, $50MM deal after his first-team All-Pro season in 2021.
Campbell made it through two years of that contract, as Green Bay moved on this offseason. Considering the way it ended for him in San Francisco, it would not surprise if other teams pass on allowing the former second-rounder the opportunity to end his career on a better note.
What a dummy lmao
Defense sucks this year and has all year
Fans media coaching staff place the blame for defensive struggles on 1 dude out of 11 (Campbell) cause he missed 8-9 tackles in a 3 week stretch but somehow the other guys missing tackles (team missed 42 tackles in that stretch) aren’t criticized
Campbell is demoted to 3rd string cause of performance but ward who sucks this year Collins who sucks this year Elliot who sucks this year and all other guys underperforming based on off pff grades aren’t demoted or losing playing time.
And after all this occurs Shanahan goes
“Hey Campbell we weren’t planning on using you ever again as a 3rd stringer but now that guys are hurt we need you to forget how we made you a scapegoat but gave other guys a pass get on our there and risk injury to play for us.”
Lmao. Campbell did the right thing. I’d say fyck this place too if my own coaches were ragging on me but giving others a pass.
Campbell certainly isn’t the first player to have a chip on his shoulder because he felt the team treated him like dirt. The mature response is to go out on the field and play your best, showing that all the criticism directed at you was unfair and unfounded. Instead, the only thing Campbell did was earn himself the reputation of being a quitting crybaby.
Where are you seeing that Shanahan strictly blamed Campbell for the defense’s shortcomings? This seems like an exaggeration to me.
Ever consider that part of the reason Campbell got benched and others didn’t might be because the 49ers simply have better players (Warner, Greenlaw) with which to replace Campbell at linebacker compared to cornerback and defensive tackle?
Which do you think is more likely: That Campbell got demoted because he’s an inferior player to Greenlaw, or that there’s a team-wide conspiracy against Campbell, such that the 49ers decided to selectively punish him above others?
This is a very strange hill for you to die on IMO
Butkiss….you still trying to sell that garbage ?
The guy QUIT on his team
It’s like an 8 year old who gets mad and takes his ball and goes home – – completely childish and selfish. The 49ers were obligated to pay him…but they don’t have to play him. On the other hand, Campbell is obligated to play when they ask him to as part of his contract. Further, I don’t see where the team “blamed” him for the defense this year. Time for someone to grow up
The guy signed on knowing he was there as an injury replacement.
He knew that as soon as Greenlaw was back he would get the starting job.
Then he refused to play.
You would do the same?
Quit on your coworkers?
This kind of logic totally makes your username make sense.
Ward has been a stalwart for this team and his toddler died during the season. He obviously gets more grace than a disappointing new signing who refused to play.
Regardless of how bad the team or other players are playing, you’re part of a TEAM!! There’s no “I” in team. You don’t walk away after refusing to go in. This guy doesn’t deserve another chance and SF should make it as difficult as possible for him to retain any of the signing bonus. I’m surprised he didn’t get his clock cleaned in that locker room.
Not sure where you’re seeing everyone blaming Campbell for the poor defense. They’re on him for quitting on his team when they needed him, which is the ultimate insult to the other players. Poor take on your part.
I think we found Cambell’s burner account lmao
You just come across as bitter, ignorant and clueless.
Oh, he’ll say f him all right when he has to pay back some of the signing bonus and he suspended for three games and they void the last four years of his contract. Yeah boy he got them.
nice mindset you 10 year old baby
Then he shouldn’t have dressed for the game. Seems he wanted to be paid but not earn it by playing. He has a contract to honor. If you can ignore your obligations the minute you feel slighted then it just shows a lack of maturity and character.
Now he misses 3 game checks and they’re going after part of his signing bonus for breach of contract…gonna cost him.
Idiot ruined whatever chances he had of playing anywhere else. I don’t know how any other team could justify signing someone who did this to the fan base, let alone the 52 other dudes in the locker room. “Hey guys remember De’vondre who quit on his last team? Everyone say hi!”
That would not go over well at all.
Million Dollar talent…..10 cents head
Some dudes are dawgs and love to play. He ain’t no dawg this one.
The best part….SF not watching the film the last two years and signing him anyway. Major fail by SF.
I’m sure Campbell understands the consequences his action will impart.
However he has reaped enough financial comfort, if not wasted, to navigate another path for his future.
Some get opportunities in life that others only wish possible. Each person should be responsible for decisions on where, what, whom we envelop accepting the positive or negative of those choices. Deciding is singularly personal to each of us.
Don’t players qualify for a pension or some lifetime benefit at 10 years. He clearly didn’t think about that being at 9 years.
The 49ers settled for Campbell because Kendricks bolted for the Cowboys. He was signed under the direct premise that he is playing until Greenlaw is healthy and then he would backup and rotate in and out. No idea why he thought that would change now. Greenlaw played the first half and showed that this defense missed him. That was the best half of football the 49er defense played all year. Now he has lost money for the rest of the season and I’m sure the 49ers are coming for some of that signing bonus.