San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell faced sharp criticism from teammates after appearing to refuse to play during Thursday night's pivotal game against the Los Angeles Rams, a 12-6 loss that all but ended the 49ers' playoff hopes.

Campbell, who was benched following the return of Dre Greenlaw from injury, reportedly declined to step in when Greenlaw needed relief in the third quarter. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the incident after the game, stating, “He said he didn’t want to play today.”

Teammates expressed frustration over Campbell's decision. Tight end George Kittle didn’t hold back, calling the act "ignorant," "stupid," and "immature," while cornerback Charvarius Ward labeled it "some sucka s---." Ward, playing just weeks after the death of his 1-year-old daughter, added, “He's probably going to get cut soon.”

The defeat dropped the defending NFC champions to 6-8 and left them trailing the Seattle Seahawks by 2.5 games in the NFC West. With three games remaining, their playoff chances have dwindled to less than 1%.

The team signed Campbell in March to temporarily fill the void left by Greenlaw, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during last season's Super Bowl. When asked about potential consequences for Campbell’s actions, Shanahan said, “We’ll figure out something, but I don’t know that right now,” while assuring that the incident wouldn’t become a long-term distraction.

A representative for the NFL Players Association has not yet commented on the situation.