The San Francisco 49ers faced the Los Angeles Rams in a critical divisional matchup on Thursday night, one that had the potential to revive their playoff hopes.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the 49ers’ night.
In a rainy, touchdown-less game, the 49ers fell to the Rams, 12-6. With the loss, San Francisco dropped to 6-8 on the season. While they are not yet eliminated from playoff contention, their path is now extremely narrow, requiring them to win out and get significant help from other teams.
However, the bigger story after the game was the absence of Pro Bowl linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who left the game and did not return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the situation in his post-game comments.
Kyle Shanahan on Campbell’s Absence
“He said that he didn’t want to play today,” Shanahan revealed.
Campbell’s decision not to return clearly affected his teammates, sparking frustration in the locker room. Tight end George Kittle didn’t hold back his thoughts on the matter.
“That is one person who just decided not to play for his teammates,” Kittle stated. “(That’s) one person making a selfish decision, and I’m with (Charvarius Ward) on that. I’ve never been around anybody that’s done that, and I hope I’m never around anyone that does that again.”
The 49ers are undoubtedly facing significant challenges, both on and off the field. With their playoff hopes dwindling and internal tensions rising, the team will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for a Week 16 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
