Deebo Samuel Sr. has had a rough week. A few days ago, he faced backlash from fans after posting on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Not struggling at all, just not getting the ball!”
In his first game since that message, he mistakenly tackled his own teammate on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. The moment was enough for the fans to go at him again.
Deebo Samuel Sr. Continues To Get Trolled by Fans
Samuel tackled running back Isaac Guerendo on a play early in the first quarter, and the video of it went viral. The fans mocked the 49ers wideout as he continues to have embarrassing moments on the field while directing the blame to others on social media.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
Certified washed
— Blitz Sports Media (@BlitzSM_) December 13, 2024
“Bench him now,” said one fan.
Another fan added, “His falloff needs to be studied.”
Proof he ain’t struggling, he’s a tackle machine
— Nick Sharif (@SharifNick) December 13, 2024
“As if dropping balls wasn’t enough, he’s now playing defense,” wrote a fan.
“Absolutely overrated,” said a fan.
He got a SGP with Guerendo getting the Under 🤣 https://t.co/3Kk3ygKJVl
— Big B (@BWareLaFlare) December 13, 2024
Samuel is having the worst season of his career, and all signs point to the 49ers potentially parting ways with him in 2025 given cap restraints. Ahead of the Week 15 game against the Rams, he was averaging career-low numbers in these categories:
- Receptions per game: 3.3
- Receiving yards per game: 46.1
- Rushing yards per attempt: 2.9
The 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan did back Samuel and talked about getting him more opportunities to impact the game. However, based on how this season has gone for the team, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle have been much more reliable options in the passing game than the 28-year-old wideout.
San Francisco was 6-7 coming into the game against the Rams and needed a win to stay alive in the race to the playoffs. At the time of writing, the 49ers are tied 3-2 heading into halftime.
Could Samuel Have a Big Outing Against the Rams?
Samuel has usually played well against Los Angeles, and many expect him to have a productive performance on Thursday Night Football.
Both offenses started slowly, and Samuel had two carries for three yards and three receptions for 16 yards at the end of the first quarter. Tackling Guerendo in the first quarter was definitely on his wishlist, but there is still a lot of time left in the game for Samuel to have an impact.
The 49ers were favored to win this game as the team was coming off an impressive 38-13 win against the Chicago Bears last week. They were also boosted by the returns of Nick Bosa and Dre Greenlaw from injuries, both of whom are difference-makers on the field.
Samuel is still the player that everyone was looking forward to due to his comments on social media prior to the game. Players of his caliber do play better after venting out their lack of usage on social media, so it will be interesting to see whether he will make a statement or give the fans more reasons to troll him.