De’Vondre Campbell

[Magooch]

I think it was Charvarius Ward* who said it and IMO was correct - if you don't wanna go, then address that pregame. Everyone has lives outside of football, it's fine to have a personal issue that's affecting you - only human after all. But the general sentiment I'm hearing from current and former players alike is that once you suit up, once you put on your pads and your team's jersey you're basically saying "I'm here and I'm committed and I'm ready to go". I hope Campbell is doing well personally/off the field but at the same time I have no doubt whatsoever if he'd went to Shanahan before the game and just said "I'm going through some stuff and I don't think I'm going to be able to go today" that coach and the rest of the team would almost certainly be totally understanding of that. As it stands though it comes off like "I'm healthy enough (mentally, physically, emotionally) to play today...at least I was until I was asked to take a reduced role and play backup" that really rubs people the wrong way I'm sure

Spoiler

*(And he would know better than most, having missed much of the season following the loss of his 1y.o. daughter a few months ago)

 

[Thirteen Below]

Since he's been in the NFL for 9 years, he might not regret it but it's a poor way to head for the exit.

I wouldn't be surprised if that were the last time he ever stepped onto an NFL field, and if so (if he really never plays another NFL snap because of this) he's going to look back on this the rest of his life as a truly terrible decision. To always be remembered as that guy who quit football not only in the middle of an actual game; but a game with playoff implications.

Suffice to say, his teammates are not exactly rallying to defend and support him -

"I've never been around someone who quits on their team, and I hope I'm never around a guy like that again," 49ers tight end George Kittle said Thursday night.

"It's hard to win football games when someone doesn't want to play football," Kittle said. "I think that’s ignorant. And I think it’s just dumb. It’s just stupid, and it’s very immature. I just don’t see how you could do something like that to your team.”

Ward said Campbell should have never put on a uniform if he didn't want to play Thursday.

"That's some sucka s---, it definitely hurt the team," said Ward, playing in his third game since the death of his 1-year old daughter. "He's probably going to get cut soon."

And remember - Armany Ward is a man who buried his toddler daughter scarcely a month ago, and he only missed two games dealing with his grief and caring for his family. Then he got back to work, and showed up every day for his club and his teammates. And he has to stand there watching Campbell quit on his team because he's pissed about losing his starting job?

I don't know how he even shows his face in the locker room after that.

Edit:

Annnd, sure enough... he won't have to worry about having to look his teammates in the eye anymore. Because he no longer has any teammates.

"Coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Friday that the club was moving on. The exact steps they take are still being considered."

Kyle Shanahan: 49ers to move on from De'Vondre Campbell after LB refused to play vs. Rams

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Suffice to say, his teammates are not exactly rallying to defend and support him -

For me, that is a good indicator of a guy that teammates probably didn't like all that much even before the incident. Typically, even in the worst of times, good teammates have each others backs. I present Romeo Doubs as evidence.

I was really happy when the Packers signed Campbell in Free Agency back in 2021. He had a great season and was the 1st Packer ILB since Ray Nitschke to be named a 1st team Pro Bowler. After that and the new 5 year $50M deal the Packers gave him, I think his career started to decline slowly.

He was a guy that the Packers eventually cut 2 years before his contract was done. Instead of just moving on to another team, Campbell just felt the need to take his shots at the Packer organization and blame them for his sporadic play.

If I was a 9'er fan, I would want the 9'ers to just outright cut the guy.

 

[Half Empty]

nearly $40mil in career earnings

 

[Pkrjones]

If I was a 9'er fan, I would want the 9'ers to just outright cut the guy.

Don't know the specifics, but suspending Campbell for conduct detrimental to the team allows the 9'ers to recoup game pay as well as go after a portion of his guaranteed bonus money, which also gives some cap relief. I think they'll pursue ALL situations getting cap $ back.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

nearly $40mil in career earnings

Yup and 40 million reasons to smack talk about a team that paid him a lot of it, as well as quit on his current team.

 

[OldSchool101]

Communication was key. Had Campbell expressed his displeasure or frustration (whatever the reason) and just told them earlier in the week? Kyle could’ve ran interference so to speak. He would’ve just said he was out for personal reasons. At minimum He should’ve just finished the last Quarter and then confided in someone if he was ready to call it quits. They could’ve called a player up from PS etc. Not the end of the world. What also strange is he pulled that stuff in Green Bay although not at that level.

I can’t imagine Campbell playing for anyone even if he wanted to

 

[Schultz]

I am surprised that people are surprised about this and seem to think this is the 1st time this has happened. A few weeks ago WR D. Johnson refused to go into a game for the Ravens. Do we not remember A. Brown walking off the field, while **********, for Tampa Bay a few years back. I firmly believe that there are others but the teams were able to keep it out of the media. Players will be Playas. U N D R E S S I N G was censored.

 

[OldSchool101]

I am surprised that people are surprised about this and seem to think this is the 1st time this has happened. A few weeks ago WR D. Johnson refused to go into a game for the Ravens. Do we not remember A. Brown walking off the field, while **********, for Tampa Bay a few years back. I firmly believe that there are others but the teams were able to keep it out of the media. Players will be Playas. U N D R E S S I N G was censored.

Yeah I know it’s happened. They are each not too smart!

Yet this had some much more serious consequences. The 2021 Bucs were 11-4 and a Division Champion several weeks earlier. (Saints were 4 games behind with the last 2 games undecided).

Here was the lowest scoring game in LA/SF history and SF 49ers were winning 6-3 with 16 minutes on the clock when Devondre was not doing whatever De’Vondres supposed to be doing.
A game in which LA had run 27 times and then ran 11 more times after Devondre quit. He didn’t just walk out at Week 3 regular season or in a season where they were eliminated or even at the last :45 seconds where the game was decided. DeVondre walked away and quit and 49ers lost their lead on THAT very LA drive 6-6.
SF lost the Division in 4th Quarter after giving up 2 FG’s because they had to play Nickle for 15 minutes straight due to being depleted and their very last LB quitting (based off reports I heard postgame)

A Win here putting SF49ers at 7-7.

A Seattle loss and 49ers would still be fighting for 1st place in their Division behind just 1 game.

A Win and SF would have split games with both LA and Seattle if a Tie arises

 

[OldSchool101]

Can you imagine had Campbell went in and punched out a fumble or snagged an INT or created a Defensive Turnover or TD in the last quarter +?

It’s really the game where a big Defensive play changes everything. Maybe even the course of the season. How often does a LB get a chance to go into 6-6 Ball game in 4th Quarter in Rain when you know the Run is coming at you and it gets you to .500 splitting games with LA and Seattle with 3 games left?
Talk about being T’d up and missing the chance to play hero. 1 big play and he gets the game ball.

 

[Sanguine camper]

I am surprised that people are surprised about this and seem to think this is the 1st time this has happened. A few weeks ago WR D. Johnson refused to go into a game for the Ravens. Do we not remember A. Brown walking off the field, while **********, for Tampa Bay a few years back. I firmly believe that there are others but the teams were able to keep it out of the media. Players will be Playas. U N D R E S S I N G was censored.

You're right, other players have quit in the past and the circumstances are different. Even though it didn't happen in a game, I tend to think the worst example comes from Andrew Luck. He waited until his team had no options and then suddenly left with no warning. The Colts were obviously expecting their pro bowl QB to play the season. He wrecked an entire season. He could have announced that he was quitting before the draft or free agency to give his team a chance to find a replacement. Nope, he waited until there weren't any reasonable options and then sabotaged an entire season for the Colts. De'Vondre's stunt could've kept the Niners from trying to compete for the playoffs so it ranks up there close to Andrew Luck for being a selfish jerk.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think the only way to insure that these players play is to pay them more!

NFL players are so underpaid these days, $5M isn't enough to satisfy the needs of a guy like De'Vondre!

We should all boycott the NFL until these heroes are paid fairly!

The good news for De'Vondre is that another owner/GM will be feeling so desperate and charitable in 2025, that he will give De'Vondre millions more, convincing himself that De'Vondre is a changed man.

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[El Guapo]

It wasn't quite the same, but Randy Moss walked off the field early. His team was down by three points with 2 seconds left on the clock. He walked off the field and into the locker room just before the Vikings went for an onside kick. I mostly chalk that up to Randy Moss being an immature knucklehead when he was in his 20s. He wasn't a quitter.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It wasn't quite the same, but Randy Moss walked off the field early. His team was down by three points with 2 seconds left on the clock. He walked off the field and into the locker room just before the Vikings went for an onside kick. I mostly chalk that up to Randy Moss being an immature knucklehead when he was in his 20s. He wasn't a quitter.

In 2013, Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant left the field early during a game against the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys lost the game 37-36. He took some heat for that. His leaving had no bearing on the outcome though, Tramon Williams had just intercepted a Tony Romo pass to seal the victory for the Packers.

'Sound FX': Dez Bryant leaves the field early vs. Packers in 2013

 

[Thirteen Below]

It wasn't quite the same, but Randy Moss walked off the field early. His team was down by three points with 2 seconds left on the clock. He walked off the field and into the locker room just before the Vikings went for an onside kick. I mostly chalk that up to Randy Moss being an immature knucklehead when he was in his 20s. He wasn't a quitter.

He used to quit on routes on a regular basis if he wasn't the target, and offen not fight for balls if he wasn't all that "into" the game that day. A lot of people say if he'd had Jerry Rice's work ethic, he'd have been the greatest of all time. But he was a head case even in high school, and never the brightest knife on the tree (wonderlic score of 12, which correlates roughly to an IQ in the low 80s).

I admit, even though he was a Viking, I was utterly blown away by how well he played the game. Nothing but mad, total respect for that man as an athlete. I was just in awe of him every time he touched the ball, but he was lazy and a poor decsionmaker.

I lived in Minneapolis during his years there, and I think he was one of the most arrogantly entitled athletes I ever met. It went all the way back to his high school career. I mean, the guy actually drove his car into a Minneapolis traffic officer (while smoking weed) because she was trying to block him from driving onto a street that had been closed. He didn't care; that's where he wanted to go, and she was stopping him. So he just kept driving, and rolled her up onto his hood. He used to come into the gym just reeking of strong weed; you'd smell him before you saw him, and he didn't care at all. Who was going to stop him?

I gotta think that as he aged further into his life, and suddenly was not so famous anymore, he learned a new way of being a part of the world. I hope so. And I wish him all the luck in the world in getting pasrt this cancer.

 

[Krabs]

He used to quit on routes on a regular basis if he wasn't the target, and offen not fight for balls if he wasn't all that "into" the game that day. A lot of people say if he'd had Jerry Rice's work ethic, he'd have been the greatest of all time. But he was a head case even in high school, and never the brightest knife on the tree (wonderlic score of 12, which correlates roughly to an IQ in the low 80s).

I admit, even though he was a Viking, I was utterly blown away by how well he played the game. Nothing but mad, total respect for that man as an athlete. I was just in awe of him every time he touched the ball, but he was lazy and a poor decsionmaker.

I lived in Minneapolis during his years there, and I think he was one of the most arrogantly entitled athletes I ever met. It went all the way back to his high school career. I mean, the guy actually drove his car into a Minneapolis traffic officer (while smoking weed) because she was trying to block him from driving onto a street that had been closed. He didn't care; that's where he wanted to go, and she was stopping him. So he just kept driving, and rolled her up onto his hood. He used to come into the gym just reeking of strong weed; you'd smell him before you saw him, and he didn't care at all. Who was going to stop him?

And how was he going to pay for his tickets? "Straight cash homie". One of my favorite Randy Moss jokes. What can you get out of a dollar that you cannot from Randy Moss? 4 quarters.

 

[tynimiller]

If I'm Gute, call him if he is released. Sign him.

Then an hour after announcing the deal, announce that you cut him. LOL

 

[OldSchool101]

If I'm Gute, call him if he is released. Sign him.

Then an hour after announcing the deal, announce that you cut him. LOL

Yeah. Give it more delay. Sign Campbell but tell him it’s no guarsnteed but he’ll get big per game bonuses up to $500K per game if he plays good. Then just before the first game go tell him you don’t feel like playing him.

 

[tynimiller]

Yeah. Give it more delay. Sign Campbell but tell him it’s no guarsnteed but he’ll get big per game bonuses up to $500K per game if he plays good. Then just before the first game go tell him you don’t feel like playing him.

I don't think I can properly describe how amazing this would be for a team to do this.....

 

[Sanguine camper]

If you're good enough you can get away with just about anything. LT used to party during the week and sleep during team meetings. Did Parcels put up a stink? Nope, he had the best player on the planet and knew what he had. The same applied to Randy Moss. Even when he was "loafing" he'd score a few TD's. The Packers put up with a lot of antics from Favre. Why? Because he was a HOF QB. Campbell isn't good enough to pout and be a head case.

 

[tynimiller]

If you're good enough you can get away with just about anything. LT used to party during the week and sleep during team meetings. Did Parcels put up a stink? Nope, he had the best player on the planet and knew what he had. The same applied to Randy Moss. Even when he was "loafing" he'd score a few TD's. The Packers put up with a lot of antics from Favre. Why? Because he was a HOF QB. Campbell isn't good enough to pout and be a head case.

No player that I can remember literally was told you’re in and they were like nah I’m good tonight and walked off….

 

[SudsMcBucky]

No player that I can remember literally was told you’re in and they were like nah I’m good tonight and walked off….

Antonio Brown sure did it. Walked off the field in the middle of the game.

 

[Don Barclay]

No player that I can remember literally was told you’re in and they were like nah I’m good tonight and walked off….

Apparently now also Diontae Johnson -- that's two!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Apparently now also Diontae Johnson -- that's two!

Honestly, this is a guy that I have NEVER heard of. I had to look him up and read a bit. His career earnings: $42,703,375

I guess when you have "banked" $42M, a one game suspension means nothing. Like many players, he was "given" $3M by the Panthers on March 16th for "being on the team". When he was traded to the Steelers at the end of October his remaining Salary, for the Steelers, was $625,000. So this should cost him around $69K. I doubt it changes him much, I doubt he is a Steeler after this season, but someone will see to it that he makes another $3-5M next season, just in hopes that he changes.