A unique situation with the San Francisco 49ers unfolded during a Thursday Night Football loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell followed in the footsteps of Vontae Davis by choosing to stop playing in the middle of a game. Campbell told coaches he did not want to play and left in the third quarter.
Fans were shocked by San Francisco 49ers LB De’Vondre Campbell’s actions

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan explained to reporters that Campbell told coaches he didn’t want to go in when he was called upon. Shanahan did not say there was any indication of something like this happening before the game.
“He said he didn’t wanna play today.”
Kyle Shanahan on De’Vondre Campbell checking himself out of the game in the third quarter
🎥: @49ers https://t.co/0oTKiQcssB pic.twitter.com/Ak9uylt1fZ
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 13, 2024
49ers fans and players had various reactions to the unique situation. San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward told reporters that Campbell was probably going to be cut for his actions on Thursday Night Football.
🚨WOW: #49ers CB Charvarius Ward spoke about De’Vondre Campbell leaving the team in the middle of the game.
“HE’S PROBABLY GONNA GET CUT.”
😳
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 13, 2024
When Vontae Davis left in the middle of a game in 2018, it was halftime of the second game of the season. This instance is increasingly more curious due to the fact that there are only a few weeks left in the season.
A lack of playoff contention or general organizational dysfunction could’ve reared its ugly head midway into the season, but it seems detrimental for Campbell to do anything other than sit the season out. According to an ESPN article, Davis never regretted his decision and there is a chance Campbell will feel the same way.
“Most people, when I did what I did, they thought I was literally going insane or something,” he says. “But I was actually fine. I was totally fine.
“And I’m totally fine today.”
Campbell is a 31-year-old veteran who is in his ninth NFL season. Campbell spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers before ending up in San Francisco. Campbell started 12 games for the 49ers this season.
Some 49ers fans see the incident as an indictment on the organization as a whole while others are saying good riddance to the veteran linebacker.
He better get cut, that’s ridiculous
— Erica Kaiser (@EricaKaiser_) December 13, 2024
Sounds like Ward’s giving Campbell the old “see ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya” treatment.
— Prime Headlines (@Prime_Headlines) December 13, 2024
De’Quitter is an embarrassment to football. Way to give up on your teammates.
— Hockey Barn Review (@hockeybarn_) December 13, 2024
This team just can’t catch a break. Like the Jets they are truly haunted now too
— Mo Bamba (@MoBamba617) December 13, 2024
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