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49ers Handled the De'Vondre Campbell Situation Perfectly

The 49ers suspending De'Vondre Campbell for the rest of the season was the perfect move. Here is why.

Jose Luis Sanchez III

Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) tackles New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) tackles New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
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De'Vondre Campbell is the first player to ever quit on the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan.

It was insane to see, especially because Campbell quit due to Dre Greenlaw being reinstalled as the starter. Everyone knew the 49ers needed a placeholder for Greenlaw, so for Campbell to get upset about it shows how delusional he's been.

Initially, when it was revealed Campbell quit on the 49ers against the Rams, it was thought he would be cut. Releasing him was a no-brainer since he's someone no one wanted to be around again. However, the 49ers elected to suspend him, which takes away his pay and his option to sign with another team.

The 49ers handled the Campbell situation perfectly. Cutting him would've set a bad precedent. If they did that, Campbell would've not only been paid but get a chance to sign with another team. Therefore, the 49ers would've shown that if a player quits on them, they can easily have their way by getting released and signing elsewhere.

Richard Sherman said it best on his podcast in the clip below.

The 49ers needed to hand down a severe punishment. Quitting on a team is like breaking a bunch of unwritten rules in baseball. You just can't do it and expect to be let off with a slap on the wrist. Serious consequences need to be exacted on Campbell to prevent anyone from ever doing it again.

"We obviously made a mistake, but it's not something that you don't look into," said Kyle Shanahan on signing Campbell. "You look into everything and you weigh the risk and reward of stuff. You weigh the situations that you have and what decisions you can make in terms of the options. And by no means was it our first option, but at the time with what went down, we thought it was our best option and it didn't work out.”

I'd imagine that going forward the 49ers will read more into a player's exit from a previous team. Campbell didn't end things well with the Packers before he became a free agent. Now, he's replicating it with the 49ers but worse. At least the 49ers are the ones who rightfully get the last laugh.

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Jose Luis Sanchez III
JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ III

Jose Luis Sanchez III has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily for FanNation since 2019. He started off as the lead publisher for FanNation's All49ers, then switched positions to become the Deputy Editor in 2020. Sanchez writes, edits, and produces videos daily for All49ers. He also co-hosts a show on YouTube with All49ers lead publisher Grant Cohn weekly. Prior to FanNation, Sanchez started his writing career back in 2016 for the school newspaper at Skyline college where he covered all sports team in the Bay Area. Following that from 2017 to 2019, he found a role as a contributor for FanSided's news desk along with their site's Just Blog Baby covering the Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Gate Sports every professional Bay Area sports team. Atop all of that, he was able to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University in 2020. Sanchez is committed to ensuring he delivers transparent analysis and straightforward opinions that resonates with readers to get them thinking.

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