San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1) / Kevin Sabitus/GettyImages
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel admitted he felt “a little frustrated” about his recent lack of involvement in the team’s offense. Samuel spoke on Tuesday, a day after posting and later deleting a message on X (formerly Twitter) that said, “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!”
He followed it up with another post clarifying that he wasn’t criticizing his teammates.
When asked about his frustration during a press conference, Samuel didn’t backtrack. “You read what you read,” he said. “[I’m] a little frustrated for sure.”
A Dip in Production
Samuel’s frustration stems from a significant drop in his production over the last four games. He’s managed just 97 yards on 17 touches during that span—an average of 5.7 yards per touch. His highest single-game total during this stretch is only 35 scrimmage yards, marking the first time since his rookie season in 2019 that he’s failed to surpass 50 yards in four consecutive games.
Comparatively, Samuel’s touches have declined this season, averaging six per game, down from 6.5 last season and significantly below the 8.5 he averaged during his standout 2021 campaign.
When he does get the ball, Samuel’s trademark explosiveness has been less apparent. His yards after contact (1.28 per rush) and yards after catch (7.6 per reception) are both on pace to be the lowest of his career. Additionally, his versatility as a runner has diminished, as defenses have adjusted to his role in the backfield. Samuel is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry this season.
“They’re not surprised no more,” Samuel said of defenses. “We’ve been doing it for almost three years now, so it’s kind of you got a 50/50 chance, whether I’m in the backfield getting a handoff or end around or anything along those lines.”
Coach and Teammates React
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed Samuel’s frustrations, emphasizing the importance of keeping such matters in-house.
“I understand Deebo saying that,” Shanahan said. “Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he helps us out is getting the ball more. We’d like to get it to him more.
“Is it a distraction in our building? No. … My advice is to not let the outside frustrate you because just answering those things isn’t going to help you in any way. It usually only hurts you. But as far as what we deal with and our relationships and our team, it’s water under the bridge.”
Despite the challenges, Samuel’s teammates remain confident he’ll play a key role as the team pushes for the postseason. Tight end George Kittle noted Samuel came close to breaking out against the Bears last week, but defensive adjustments took away his opportunities.
“He’s about to pop off,” Kittle said, pointing to Samuel’s strong career numbers against the Rams, including an average of 88.2 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in nine games.
“He’s like one of my best friends on this team,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “I absolutely love Deebo and what he’s done for me and helping me out. We talk all the time, and I think he’s right. He’s doing great right now with what we ask of him in the offense. And he’s not struggling or anything. … There’s just moments I guess throughout seasons where guys just don’t get the ball, just depending on the scheme or what the defensive scheme is and them taking guys away.
“I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could and I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things, and we all do in this building. It’s just how the games have gone. But I love my guy and I’m going to do everything I can to get him the ball.”
The Road Ahead
With the 49ers battling injuries to key players like Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, and Brandon Aiyuk, Samuel is expected to take on a larger role in the offense as the season winds down. While the team prepares to face the Rams on Thursday night, Samuel seems ready to step up.
“When it comes, it comes,” Samuel said, expressing his readiness to contribute.
The 49ers remain optimistic that Samuel can regain his form and help the team make a strong playoff push.
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This report used information from ESPN.
