San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is growing tired of being asked about the NFC Championship Game loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. He's been asked about that game all offseason, each time sharing—and repeating—his honest opinion about what could have been.
San Francisco lost because they lacked a healthy quarterback in the matchup. At least, that is the popular opinion among 49ers players. Rookie Brock Purdy, who entered the season as QB3 but was named the starter after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow early against the Eagles. His backup, Josh Johnson, exited with a concussion.
Who knows what might have happened had Purdy stayed healthy? With him injured, the 49ers couldn't throw the football.
Philadelphia won 31-7, advancing to the Super Bowl. In February, a confident Samuel made it clear that the result would have been very different if Purdy had remained healthy.
"Just look how well our defense was actually playing, keeping Jalen [Hurts] in the pocket, which he doesn't like to do at all," Samuel said during that earlier interview, per CBS Sports. "So the [Eagles] offense wasn't doing anything. Our defense was doing what they were supposed to, and I feel like if Brock was in as our quarterback and how our offense moves, I don't think it would have been close."
The receiver was asked if he believes the 49ers would have won by double digits if Purdy could have thrown the football.
"Yeah, like we beat everybody else," Samuel responded.
That prompted the star player to be asked about those comments during an interview on "The Zach Gelb Show." It has been five months since that comment, and clearly, Samuel wasn't willing to provide the host with the quotable comment he desired.
After noting that the topic was old, hinting to the host to move on, the receiver was asked if he still believed in what he said.
"I mean, I do, but I mean, that sh-t is like, we're not gonna keep talking about it," Samuel responded. "I mean, I said what I said."
He was asked what happens when the 49ers face the Eagles on December 3 in an NFC Championship Game rematch.
"I don't know. Just wait until Week 13, 12, whatever week it is, and we'll show you," Samuel said.
Samuel and a public relations representative ended the interview when Gelb noted that he and his team would be booed by the hometeam Philly fans in that rematch and asked if the receiver had a message for those fans. Obviously, the intention was to stir the pot and get Samuel to say something else that the Eagles and their fans could add as bulletin board material.
Gelb was displeased by the abrupt end to the conversation.
"Deebo Samuel right there, doesn't want to answer a few questions," he said. "Are you serious? We got hung up on because all we did was ask him about the quarterback situation, and then Philadelphia, and we got hung up on by Deebo Samuel? That's a joke, an absolute joke. That's absurd."
You can listen to the exchange below.
Deebo Samuel was on with @CBSSportsRadio and he was getting asked about the #Eagles — and he just didn't want to deal with it again. He ended the interview early.
That Eagles/49ers rematch cannot come soon enough. 🍿
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 11, 2023