Whitner says 49ers should cut Campbell for refusing to play originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
NBC Sports Bay Area analysts Donte Whitner and Rod Brooks didn’t hold back on the 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell after he refused to play in San Francisco’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
“Cut it out,” Whitner, who played 11 seasons in the NFL, said on “49ers Postgame Live” after San Francisco’s 12-6 loss. “That’s my opinion. Cut him. He hasn’t played well all season and then a near-All-Pro linebacker comes back that you know is coming back from an injury, you know he’s going to be inserted into the starting lineup. lineup, you know you’re going to to be his substitute and then you tell the coaches I’m not going to play today. I would have cut you right there on game day.
“We don’t feel sorry for you. You’re professional, you haven’t done your job and you saw the clear difference with Dre Greenlaw in the game as to why they played him instead of Campbell. So cut him. That’s on you. Kyle Shanahan, that’s it for the 49ers organization. You cut this guy. There’s no way he’s going to stay on the team tomorrow.”
Campbell, who appeared in all 13 49ers games this season, he did not play Thursday when Greenlaw made his season debut following a lengthy rehab from a torn Achilles tendon.
But after the game, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan explained what happened.
“He said he didn’t want to play today,” Shanahan said.
Brooks offered his opinion on the situation.
“That was a dumb move,” Brooks said. “That’s terrible. He quit his team. He quit his team. That’s the worst thing you can do.”
The 49ers signed Campbella nine-year NFL veteran, a One-year, $5 million deal this offseason. after spending the last three years with the Green Bay Packers.
In addition to Shanahan, 49ers tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward were unhappy with Campbell after the loss.
While it’s unclear if the 49ers will release Campbell, his stay in San Francisco and the team’s playoff hopes appear to hang in the balance.