Change is part of the NFL. It's a business. Most players learn that quickly. If it isn't you being moved around the league, it is someone with whom you have grown close.
On October 20, the Carolina Panthers traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers. That prompted the Miami Dolphins to call the Niners about Jeff Wilson Jr. On November 1, the day of the trade deadline, the 49ers agreed to send Wilson to the Dolphins in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
The trade wasn't easy for everyone. Wilson was well-liked in the locker room and has been a staple of the organization since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2018.
"At first, Jeff was excited," general manager John Lynch said of the conversation with Wilson to inform him of the trade. "It felt like Miami was a great spot. Obviously, he knows [head coach] Mike [McDaniel] and the crew. And then the emotions hit him, and I was able to share with him, 'Look, you're not only one of my favorite players that I've ever had the opportunity to be around, you're one of my favorite people.'"
One 49ers teammate, Deebo Samuel, didn't find it too difficult to say goodbye to Wilson, but not because he didn't care. The star wide receiver just had a different way of looking at the situation.
"Me personally, after going through contract negotiations, my entire outlook changed," Samuel told Justin Melo in an exclusive conversation with 49ers Webzone. "I look at things a lot differently now. I was more so happy for him than anything. Everybody, myself included, was super happy about getting Christian McCaffrey. I know that this league is all about business. It's just business at the end of the day."
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Yes, it's sad to see a close teammate go, but Samuel doesn't feel the distance will change his friendship with Wilson. And he's happy about the opportunity the running back will have in Miami.
"That's why I was happier for Jeff Wilson," Samuel continued. "It wasn't difficult to say goodbye because I was genuinely happy for him. It was a great opportunity for him to go over there and get back around some coaches [McDaniel] that he's already been around. He didn't have to learn the scheme or playbook because he already knows it."
Wilson had 72 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown on 12 touches in his Dolphins debut, a 35-32 win over the Chicago Bears.
"Jeff Wilson is gonna be Jeff Wilson no matter where he goes," Samuel said while laughing. "I'm going to keep up with him forever. We're never going to lose the friendship and brotherhood we have with one another. He was my teammate for a good four years. He's a guy I love hanging around with."
Click here to read Melo's entire interview with Samuel, where the receiver talks fatherhood, Christian McCaffrey, Jimmy Garoppolo, and going to war with Trent Williams.