Campbell, who signed with the 49ers this past offseason to temporarily replace Dre Greenlaw, did not play in Thursday's game, as Greenlaw returned to the starting lineup after a 10-month recovery from a torn Achilles.
When Greenlaw exited in the third quarter due to knee soreness, Campbell was instructed to take the field but reportedly refused. Instead, he retreated to the locker room, apparently unhappy with his demotion.
"My understanding of how this happens, and it has not happened officially yet, is the 49ers are likely to suspend Campbell rather than just release him," Rapoport said Sunday morning on NFL Gameday. "That is the expectation."
Why not release the disgruntled linebacker outright?
"A couple reasons for that," Rapport explained. "One, it prevents him from just going on waivers, getting claimed and signing with another team, playing out the rest of the season. Also, it would potentially allow them to claw back some of his $3.35 million signing bonus."
When asked on Friday if Campbell would remain with the team, head coach Kyle Shanahan responded bluntly, "No, I don't."
Shanahan added, "His actions from the game is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team. So, we're working through exactly the semantics of it right now, but we'll handle the situation appropriately."
After the game, tight end George Kittle did not hold back in criticizing Campbell's actions, calling the incident "stupid" and "very immature."
"I've never been around anybody that's ever done that, and I hope I'm never around anybody that does that again," Kittle said.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers mailbag: Will Brock Purdy take a team-friendly deal? Who else will SF fire? What will the 49ers do with the number 11 pick?
It's January, and the San Francisco 49ers are at home watching the postseason. It's not what the team or the fans wanted, but there is hope that it could be the best thing for the players, giving them the time to rest, recover, and reset. For all we know, this time next year,... -
49ers announce team awards; George Kittle wins Len Eshmont Award
The San Francisco 49ers revealed their team award winners on Monday, following the conclusion of their 6-11 season. Tight end George Kittle received the prestigious Len Eshmont Award, his second time earning the honor. Len Eshmont Award: TE George Kittle The Len Eshmont Award... -
49ers Notebook: Will Dre Greenlaw stay in the Bay?; Shanahan, Lynch excited about Ricky Pearsall, Dominick Puni; Shanahan weighs in on team tragedies, special teams, defensive scheme
The 2024 season left no debate over the importance of Dre Greenlaw to the San Francisco 49ers. But will the veteran linebacker be back with the team in 2025 and beyond? That's a question that remains unanswered, although the 49ers at least gave a clue on what direction they'd... -
Two 49ers named to NFLPA Players' All-Pro Team
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released its third annual Players' All-Pro team on Wednesday, a prestigious honor determined solely by active NFL players. San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and linebacker Fred Warner have once again been recognized for their...