The San Francisco 49ers fell at home to the arch-rival Los Angeles Rams 12-6 on Thursday night, moving them backward to a record of 6-8.
During the second half of the team’s loss, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell left the field and returned to the locker room.
He did not have an injury, and nothing bothered him physically.
The veteran decided he did not want to play in the game.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith put Campbell’s decision into perspective Friday morning on First Take.
“If it were me, he would have been cut before he left the locker room…His career is in grave jeopardy, and it should be,” Smith stated.
"If it were me, he would have been cut before he left the locker room. … His career is in grave jeopardy, and it should be."
—@stephenasmith on 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell refusing to play and leaving the game early vs. the Rams pic.twitter.com/5XxfUExxhh
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 13, 2024
While it is rare, these kinds of situations have happened before.
The late Vontae Davis retired at halftime of a game when he played for the Buffalo Bills in 2018.
Former All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown once took his pads and jersey off mid-game and ran off the field while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before later being released by them in 2022.
In this situation, it is odd because Campbell simply elected not to go into the game when asked to do that.
The former All-Pro’s future is likely now up in the air because it looks like he quit on his team.
Time will tell if the 49ers decide to take action against Campell for his decision.
The 31-year-old was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 and has also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.
NEXT: George Kittle Doesn't Hold Back His Thoughts About Teammate Quitting
