Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was sent to the locker room when he refused to play in Thursday night’s game, but not before he received an earful from general manager John Lynch.
Campbell has likely played his last snap with the 49ers after he chose not to play in the team’s 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday. The veteran was reportedly unhappy that he had been demoted to second string with Dre Greenlaw returning from an injury. Campbell was blasted by several of his teammates over the stunt.
Campbell was seen heading to the locker room in the fourth quarter. On Sunday, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports revealed that it was Lynch who sent the linebacker off. Glazer said Lynch came down from the booth at Levi’s Stadium to confront Campbell.
“They started seeing about the second quarter that he didn’t want to go in. John Lynch actually went down there in the fourth quarter and confronted him on it and said, ‘You don’t want to go in the game? You’re refusing?’ Yes, so it was Lynch who sent him into the locker room,” Glazer said. “I got players who called me after and said, ‘Hey, we’ve heard you talk about this alter ego of John Lynch, this 47 Red character. Man, we saw it. That dude is crazy.’ They all saw it first-hand.”
Lynch, a hard-hitting safety during his Hall of Fame NFL career, was known for his intensity on the field. In a mailbag years ago, Glazer wrote about Lynch’s “47 Red” alter ego. Lynch’s former Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates came up with the nickname to describe how scary Lynch is when he snaps.
Apparently Lynch really let Campbell have it. You can hear Glazer’s report at about the 1:22 mark:
The latest from @JayGlazer on Bill Belichick, the relationship between Jalen Hurts & A.J. Brown, and how Pittsburgh got the most out of Russell Wilson this season.
Plus, more on the situation involving 49ers’ De’Vondre Campbell, who elected not to go into Thursday’s game vs LA. pic.twitter.com/VtXDfgFv5T
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 15, 2024
Shanahan has made it clear that Campbell has no future with the 49ers. The only question is whether the team will suspend Campbell before parting ways with him.
If and when Campbell is cut, there are questions about whether he will even be able to find another job.
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