The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly suspending linebacker De'Vondre Campbell for the remainder of the season after he refused to go into Thursday's 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Teams have the ability to suspend players up to four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was the first to report the suspension, which had been expected since Friday, when head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters the linebacker won't be a part of the team going forward. 'His actions from the game are not something you can do to your team or teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,' Shanahan said Friday. 'We're working through the semantics right now, but we'll handle the situation appropriately.'.
By suspending him rather than waiving Campbell, the Niners are denying him the chance to sign elsewhere for the remainder of the season. Campbell signed a $5 million, one-year contract with San Francisco in March. The 49ers are reportedly suspending De'Vondre Campbell for the remainder of the season.
He had started 12 of the first 13 games of the season and played 90% of defensive snaps for the 49ers but was benched Thursday night after Dre Greenlaw came back for his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season's Super Bowl. When the 49ers wanted to put Campbell in the game in the third quarter because Greenlaw was sidelined with soreness in his Achilles tendon, Campbell refused, something Shanahan said has never happened to him in his time as a head coach or an assistant in the NFL. Shanahan said Friday that he has not gotten any explanation from Campbell on why he didn't play.
