Richard Sherman didn't mince words when calling out De'Vondre Campbell's decision to walk out on the 49ers mid-game.
The San Francisco 49ers' issues in 2024 extend far beyond the actions of one disgruntled player, but veteran linebacker De'Vondre Campbell might still wind up being the biggest talking point for the Niners' frustrating season.
Campbell opting not to enter San Francisco's Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams despite being asked to created no shortage of backlash, including rife reactions from many of his teammates.
What made it even worse is the fact Campbell was signed last offseason as a contingency plan to fill in for injured star linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and the former had to know Greenlaw's return from an Achilles return would spell an end to starting duties. However, once Greenlaw had to exit Thursday's game with a minor injury, the importance of having Campbell available was apparent.
Yet Campbell still opted to quit on his team.
In the aftermath, former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman didn't hold back when looking at the bigger picture for Campbell, pointing out this action will cast a very long shadow.
Richard Sherman on De'Vondre Campbell: 'This will overshadow just about everything you did in your career'
Week 15's embarrassment wasn't the first time Campbell had run-ins with former employers, although this latest incident might as well be the most extreme.
And that's what Sherman spoke of during an episode of the Richard Sherman Podcast:
"If you would've just stayed the course it would've worked out how it needed to work out for you"@RSherman_25 sounds off on De'Vondre Campbell quitting on the 49ers pic.twitter.com/KRXktXvtfd
— Richard Sherman Podcast (@RShermanPodcast) December 16, 2024
"This is going to be probably the story that is written about your career," Sherman said. "This will overshadow just about everything you did in your career."
While Campbell's presence on the Niners certainly didn't warrant much praise up through Week 15, it'll be fairly easy for fans to forget the fact he was a one-time first-team All-Pro back with the Green Bay Packers in 2021 and also boasted two seasons in which he recorded 120-plus tackles.
Instead, he'll carry that reputation of quitting on a team when it absolutely needed him.
San Francisco opted not to release Campbell, choosing instead to suspend him for three games, effectively ending his season and preventing him from signing elsewhere. There are significantly more financial ramifications now placed upon the linebacker because of this route the 49ers are taking, and it's hard to envision any other team wanting to take a chance on such a player with this kind of reputation.
So, to back up Sherman's point, Campbell's most recent incident could easily be his last in an NFL uniform.