De’Vondre Campbell, who played 3 seasons at Green Bay, takes a cheeky dig at Packers following BOLD 49ers move

Campbell signed a one year deal with the 49ers.

De’Vondre Campbell, who played 3 seasons at Green Bay, takes a cheeky dig at Packers following BOLD 49ers move

Former Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (#26) has joined his fourth NFL side after leaving the Green Bay Packers (Image via IMAGO)

On Friday, the San Francisco 49ers signed eight-year-old veteran linebacker De’Vondre Campbell from the Green Bay Packers. And it seems the 30-year-old is happy to move away from Wisconsin, where he spent three seasons.

More often than not, players feel somber leaving their familiar surroundings and moving to a different location. But few opt to take the departure as a boon for their career and life. Campbell’s recent post after signing a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers appears to place him in the latter category.

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The Minnesota Golden Gophers graduate shared his thoughts about his time in Green Bay.

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Someone is about to get a great football player that's been badly misused. O well, let's get it though!
Campbell wrote on Instagram

The 49ers chose to allow Campbell to fill the void left by Dre Greenlaw, who tore his ACL in the Super Bowl LVIII. Their primary target was Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks. However, he opted to play for the Dallas Cowboys instead of the 49ers. 

By releasing Campbell, the Packers made significant savings on their salary cap. He still had three years remaining on his $50 million contract.

De’Vondre Campbell’s NFL career

After concluding his career with the Gophers in college football, Campbell entered the NFL when the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 Draft. He spent four seasons in Atlanta before spending the 2020 season with the Arizona Cardinals.

De’Vondre Campbell, who played 3 seasons at Green Bay, takes a cheeky dig at Packers following BOLD 49ers move
De’Vondre Campbell (Image via Imago)

Campbell was on the move once again, this time joining his third team, the Green Bay Packers. He was already a powerful edge rusher, but the best time of his career came while playing at Lambeau Field.

During the 2021 season, Campbell racked up a career-best 146 tackles, 5 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions, en route to his first All-Pro nod. However, knee and ankle injuries limited his time on the field the following two seasons. In 2023, he finished with 75 tackles and only one pass deflection.

Campbell’s words are surprising, to say the least, considering his best year came while wearing the famous green and yellow. That season, he was under the guidance of Joe Barry, who was fired in January 2024 because of the team’s drop in form.

Some might point out that Barry’s influence played a part in Campbell’s failure to emulate the heights of his first year with the Packers. But that’s still speculation. And after eating the sack, it did not take long for Barry to find a new job. He is now the LB coach for the Miami Dolphins.

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