49ers Suspend Former Minnesota Gopher for Conduct Detrimental to the Team

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Dec 16, 2024

When you quit on your team there are going to be consequences. That is true at the professional level all the way down to youth sports. It’s a terrible look, and something that plays out publicly when you do it on a national stage. The San Francisco 49ers certainly weren’t going to be made fools of by a former Minnesota Gopher standout.

Minnesota’s De’Vondre Campbell done for good with San Francisco

Although the game aired on Amazon’s Prime streaming service, Thursday Night Football is still a nationally broadcasted event. It was an ugly one, but the San Francisco 49ers watched it become more laughable when former Minnesota Gophers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell opted against playing. He is now facing the consequences.

San Francisco 49ers president of football operations/general manager John Lynch issued a statement on linebacker De'Vondre Campbell: “We have suspended De'Vondre Campbell Sr. for three games due to conduct detrimental to the team. We will have no further comment on the matter.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 16, 2024

Campbell signed with the 49ers this offseason on a one-year deal to start in place of the injured Dre Greenlaw. He did that for the first 12 games of the season, then with Greenlaw back, was active in a reserve role on Thursday night.

Rather than come into the game when asked, Campbell told the coaching staff no, and ultimately exited the field to the locker room in the 4th quarter.

Here's footage of De'Vondre Campbell walking off the field as captured by our @kpixtv cameras. #FTTB | #49ers pic.twitter.com/htjfZdBjGX
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) December 14, 2024

By suspending him for three games, the 49ers skirt around paying the veteran his full salary, and they don’t give him the opportunity to find employment elsewhere. Given the selfish nature of his actions, it’s possible his career could be over as well.

Campbell has played in 128 games after being drafted in the fourth round by Atlanta. He had 79 tackles, three for losses, and a quarterback hit this season with San Francisco. A former All-Pro in Green Bay during the 2021 season, this is a pretty big fall from grace for the Gophers star.

It will be interesting to see what market, if any, Campbell sees over the offseason. San Francisco finishes their season with games against Miami, Detroit, and Arizona.