Deebo Samuel is a beloved presence in the locker room of the San Francisco 49ers, noted for his honesty both on and off the field. If he’s thinking anything, he’ll say it, and you’ll know he truly believes it.
Following the NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Samuel freely stated his strong sentiments this offseason. Samuel believes the outcome might have been different if quarterback Brock Purdy had not been hurt early in the game.
“We lost because we played with 10 people,” Samuel claimed, a statement that irritated Eagles teammates since it minimized their success.
While many in the locker room agreed, Samuel was the most outspoken, claiming that the 49ers, not the Eagles, were the superior team in that playoff encounter.
Ten months later, Samuel and the 49ers got their chance to prove it. At Lincoln Financial Field, the result was a dominating 42-19 victory over the Eagles. In that Week 13 rematch, Samuel caught four catches for 116 yards, ran three times for 22 yards, and scored three times.
Samuel had backed up his statements during the offseason.
“You want guys to have their own personalities, their own swagger,” tight end George Kittle said this week to reporters. “That’s what makes a great football team.” I don’t want 53 men with the same personality. The melting pot appeals to me. I don’t think Deebo ever crosses the line when he works the way he does, backs it up the way he does, and communicates the way he does. He simply expresses his thoughts.”
Some wonder if Samuel goes too far with his statements, such as calling Eagles cornerback James Bradberry “trash.” Kittle merely interprets this as Samuel stating his honest view.
“I don’t think he’s ever gotten very personal with anything,” Kittle explained. “He just says what’s on his mind, and I’m fine with that, especially when he backs it up with the work he does every day and his play on the field.” So that’s great. And it does raise us up. It does give us a swagger.
“When you see him and [T] Trent [Williams] with the Bumpboxx, you know who this team is.” And it’s great to have guys like that who aren’t afraid to speak up.”
When questioned if Samuel adds the swagger because the team needs it or because it’s just who he is, Kittle said, “It’s not false. I believe he’s done that his entire life. It’s been relatively consistent since I’ve been with him. So I don’t think he understands why I’m doing this to get the squad moving. I think it’s I’m going to do this because it’s what I want to do, and it’s who he is, which I admire.”
