Kyle Shanahan Admits 49ers Made Mistake Signing De’Vondre Campbell
Kyle Shanahan reflects on the 49ers’ decision to sign De’Vondre Campbell, acknowledging it was a mistake after his recent suspension.
De’Vondre Campbell, Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco, NFL, 49ers
San Francisco: The 49ers have decided to suspend linebacker De’Vondre Campbell for the rest of the season. This came after he refused to play on Thursday night. Coach Kyle Shanahan is now saying he wishes he had never signed Campbell.
Last year, Campbell played for the Packers but seemed unhappy there. When Green Bay let him go, he didn’t hold back in criticizing the team. Shanahan was asked if they considered these issues before bringing him on board. He admitted they were aware of the red flags but felt they needed a linebacker after losing Dre Greenlaw to an injury.
“Yeah, of course,” Shanahan said. “Losing Dre was tough. We knew we needed a starting linebacker. We lost a couple of guys in free agency, and then another guy got cut and became available.”
Shanahan also mentioned his past experience with Campbell when he was a rookie in Atlanta. He thought things would work out based on that. “I knew what he was capable of,” he said. “We liked him in that building. We obviously made a mistake.”
He explained that they always look into players thoroughly. They weigh the risks and rewards, and at that moment, they thought Campbell was their best option. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out, and it serves as a warning for other teams considering players with a troubled past.