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By Valentina Martinez
Contributing Sports Writer
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch revealed linebacker De'Vondre Campbell gave no explanation for refusing to play in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams.
On KNBR, radio host Brian Murphy asked Lynch what explanation Campbell gave for refusing to enter the game.
"I don't know," Lynch said. "I don't think I'll ever find out. He's no longer here and we'll move forward."
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Lynch also provided more details on his conversation with Campbell on the field after he discovered the linebacker wouldn't enter the game.
"A lot was made of it, in terms of being a confrontation, I'm not sure it was a confrontation. It was a quick conversation," Lynch said. "I think we had a little signal going in that the energy wasn't right. Kyle had a conversation with him, we thought everything was going to be alright.
"It wasn't and you could see that right away during the game. It was becoming a distraction. It was essentially a playoff game for us. And at that point, Kyle's coaching the team, I don't usually go down until late in a game but I could see that it was really becoming a distraction. One by one, players, coaches were trying to get him to go in. I finally just said, 'I need to see what's going on. Because if I think what's going on is going on, then he needs to get off the field.'"
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The 49ers chose to suspend Campbell, effectively ending his season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted toward a suspension after San Francisco's Thursday night meltdown in Week 15.
"His actions from the game are not something you can do to your team or teammates and still be a part of our team," Shanahan said. "We're working through the semantics of (the process) but we'll handle the situation accordingly."
Campbell's refusal to play couldn't have come at a worse time for the 49ers. San Francisco's playoff hopes were practically diminished following the 12-6 loss to the Rams. While the 49ers lost running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason to injuries, other starters dealt with losses off the field.
Trent Williams' wife gave birth to a stillborn, and yet he tried to make a return this season. Charvarius Ward lost his one-year-old daughter earlier this season but returned after missing a few games.
Campbell's attitude and actions were simply shocking given the trials his teammates have faced this season.
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