Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
49ers WR Deebo Samuel’s mentality: ‘One guy is not going to tackle me’
Oct 3, 2022 at 10:23 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Safety
Talanoa Hufanga and wide receiver
Deebo Samuel made the plays of the game during Monday night's San Francisco 49ers win over the Los Angeles Rams. Hufanga showed off his elite instincts with a pick-six off Rams quarterback
Matthew Stafford. Samuel showed off his elite elusiveness with an impressive 57-yard touchdown run that made the Rams defenders look downright silly.
Samuel looked unstoppable on that play. After the game, he revealed that he felt unstoppable too. The receiver—and sometimes running back—was asked how it feels knowing he can have his way with defenders who can do nothing to stop him.
"It's just the mentality that I come out here with, week in and week out," Samuel responded during a post-game interview on NBC Sports Bay Area. "One guy is not going to tackle me. That's just a mindset thing I've always had. My dad instilled that in me when I was four years old, playing with six-, seven-, and eight-year-olds. He built the toughness in me, and it shows, week in and week out."
Samuel finished the game with six catches, 115 receiving yards, and a touchdown on his seven targets. So what is it like to look into a defensive back's eyes, knowing they don't want to compete with the 49ers' do-everything player?
"I don't even look in their eyes no more," Samuel said while laughing. "I just go out there and line up, and you can just see them like, 'Aw, here comes Deebo.'"
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
If the 49ers draft a wide receiver, don't expect it to be a smaller guy
The San Francisco 49ers are in good shape for 2024 when it comes to the wide receiver position. What that room looks like after this coming season remains to be seen. Most believe the 49ers will give Brandon Aiyuk a new contract around the start of training camp. But there are no guarantees. As it was reported on Friday, Aiyuk unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram, much like Deebo Samuel did two years ago.
It seems to be how modern-day players negotiate. It's not necessarily anything to be concerned about, but you never truly know how these things will end. There is still potential that the 49ers could trade the star receiver in the next couple of weeks.
If Aiyuk is extended, it
Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are why the 49ers can afford to pay Brandon Aiyuk
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
Mike Silver on how Deebo Samuel's contract might be the starting point for a Brandon Aiyuk extension
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
Could the 49ers trade up in the draft for a top tackle?
The San Francisco 49ers are likely hoping that a top offensive lineman drops to them at No. 31 in the first round of this month's draft. Fans would like to see the team add someone to compete with Colton McKivitz for the right tackle spot and potentially take over for Trent Williams when the future Hall of Famer decides to retire.
Having two studs bookending the offensive line would go a long way in protecting franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. While tackle may be the first-round target, depending on how the first 30 selections play out, San Francisco might have to trade up to get a genuinely impactful
