Oct 16, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) on the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons
(San Francisco) — Deebo Samuel has vowed to improve this season.
The 49ers star receiver was critical of his 2022 campaign, calling his performance “awful” and pledging to never put anything like that on tape again.
Step 1? Sending shirtless pictures to his head coch.
“Never had a grown man send me so many pictures with his shirt off, but it looks good,” 49er head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I can tell he put the work in, so I know you guys heard him that day. That’s the last time I really heard him, but I see better than I hear. Deebo is in a really good spot, and I’m really excited for him this year.”
After earning both Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro nods during the 2021 season (1,770 total yards, 14 TD) – Samuel struggled to replicate that same level of production after inking a long term extension. Injured hampered the 27-year-old to just 13 games, in which he compiled a mere 864 total yards and 5 TD.
“Just going through the tape, it was, ‘Look how sluggish and, like, how bad you look on tape,’” said Samuel after the season. “I’ll never put nothing on tape like that again.”
“I don’t think Deebo had to be that harsh on himself to you guys, but it was cool to watch,” Shanahan said. “Deebo is one of the best players in this league and anytime he doesn’t play like one of the best players in this league, everyone’s going to be disappointed, including himself. I think that was the case.
Ther 49ers kick off training camp on Wednesday.
