"This year, for sure," Samuel said on his Cleats & Convos podcast, via Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area. "Me, personally, I want to be my best self as much as possible. As a whole, as a group, losing games that we aren't supposed to lose. We put our backs against the wall at times."
The 49ers are 5-5 following Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with two tough road matchups ahead against the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills.
Three of their five losses have come against NFC West rivals, each marked by fourth-quarter collapses after leading by at least four points. It's a puzzling outcome for a team that, not too long ago, was widely regarded as one of the most talented in the league.
"You just look at, from top to bottom, one of the best rosters in the league, and it gets frustrating because we know what we're capable of," Samuel explained. "We got to finish games. We got to be the Niners that everybody knows that we are. And it gets frustrating at times when we don't win those games, and you're like, 'Yo, why do we keep putting ourselves in these positions?'"
The 49ers have struggled without key contributors for much of the season. Star running back Christian McCaffrey missed the first eight games due to Achilles tendinitis and hasn't resembled the Offensive Player of the Year since returning. Meanwhile, quarterback Brock Purdy lost his go-to target, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, to a season-ending ACL and MCL tear on October 20.
The offense is without quarterback Brock Purdy's favorite target, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who suffered a torn ACL and MCL on October 20, ending his season.
With their postseason hopes slipping away, the 49ers face a critical stretch. Securing wins over the next two weekends is essential to keep their playoff dreams alive.
"Now, every game we play, you got to treat it like it's your last," Samuel said. "We treat every game like that [already], but it's really like, 'Yo, if we don't win this game, we'll be in some trouble.'"
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Robert Saleh shares candid thoughts on coaching future
The San Francisco 49ers are enjoying a much-needed bye week, and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh used part of the break to appear on Josina Anderson's podcast, The Exhibit. With San Francisco's defense improving week after week and helping the team achieve a 9-4 record... -
49ers' John Lynch shares encouraging update on Fred Warner's recovery
The loss of linebacker Fred Warner has been one of the most significant setbacks of the San Francisco 49ers' 2025 season—a campaign already defined by adversity and injuries. Warner suffered a dislocated and fractured right ankle in Week 6 and is expected to miss the... -
The Stat No One's Talking About That Could Define the 49ers' 2025 Season
A lot has been written about the outstanding performance of San Francisco's coaching staff this year. Head coach Kyle Shanahan deserves all the praise for the work he's done with the offense and the overall team chemistry. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, of course, is... -
49ers' Shanahan still hopes Aiyuk returns this season—but isn't counting on it
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn't sound particularly optimistic Tuesday morning when discussing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's chances of returning this season. Appearing on Bay Area radio station KNBR, Lynch emphasized that while he remains hopeful, he can't...