Following last year's hit docuseries "Quarterback," Netflix has released "Receiver," showcasing those who catch passes from signal-callers. San Francisco 49ers pass-catchers Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are prominently featured in the series, culminating in the team's heartbreaking defeat in Super Bowl LVIII in the final episode.
Before heading to Las Vegas for the NFL title game, the finale recaps the thrilling comeback victory against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game, where the home-team 49ers trailed 24-7 at halftime. With Lions players like wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, also featured throughout the series, already thinking past the second half, "ready to go to the Super Bowl," San Francisco rallied to a 34-31 victory.
Netflix's series captures all the excitement of the comeback win that secured the 49ers' ticket to Super Bowl LVIII.
Once in Vegas, "Receiver" shows scenes from Super Bowl Opening Night, the 49ers' practices at UNLV, and the big game at Allegiant Stadium.
While the outcome of the battle with the Chiefs has haunted 49ers fans all offseason, the Netflix series takes you deeper into the contest with never-before-seen aspects of the game and Kittle's and Samuel's comments throughout the hard-fought defeat.
It also looks at the injuries the duo sustained in the Super Bowl. Samuel suffered a pulled hamstring during the game, and fans get a glimpse of the star receiver fighting to get back on the field in the last game of the season.
"No way this is happening to me right now," Samuel said. "I come out of the [medical] tent, I get to moving around, but this s--t just hurts."
Samuel commented on his mindset during the situation, "Whatever happens, happens. This is the last game of the year, and not too many people get this opportunity. Let's just try to go out there and make the best out of it. Went out there and gave it everything I had."
Later in the game, Kittle suffered a shoulder injury but remained on the field with his teammates.
"Yes, I got hurt," Kittle shared. "I still felt like I was capable of doing my job, so I'm not going to leave the drive if I don't have to, and I was able to stay in for the rest of it."
Kittle eventually had to briefly exit the game at the end, leaving Charlie Woerner to fill in for the All-Pro tight end until he returned in overtime.
"It was about as painful as it could possibly get," Kittle commented. "I was able to go get some numbing stuff for it, kind of calmed it down a little bit, allowed me to move it a little bit more."
Kittle later revealed that he suffered an AC sprain and chipped a bone in his shoulder, an injury that has since mostly healed.
Unfortunately, just like four years earlier in the Super Bowl, quarterback Patrick Mahomes stepped up against the 49ers to deliver the gut-wrenching loss and earn the Chiefs back-to-back championships.
"I'm 28 now and been playing football about 24 of these years," Samuel said. "So as a kid, you're just like, 'Yo, I dreamed of playing in the Super Bowl.' And once you get there, you like, 'All right, I'm here.' Then you get there again, you like, 'All right, now, I ain't losing twice.' And then you lose again, you just like, 'Bro, what the hell is it going to take for us to win one?'"
Kittle remarked, "To lose the second one, getting to that moment, not being able to get it done, just sucks. My dream is to win a Super Bowl, and I'm going to do everything I can to once again climb back up the mountain and take another shot at it."
"Receiver" is now available on Netflix, with all eight episodes ready to stream for subscribers. It also features Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
The series also features head coach Kyle Shanahan sharing what makes Kittle and Samuel unique, and Kittle and quarterback Brock Purdy sharing why Samuel is so important on offense.