Deebo Samuel says frustration led to now-deleted social media post about lack of opportunities

AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The least productive four-game stretch of Deebo Samuel’s career sent the frustrated wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers to social media.

In a now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Samuel tried to give an explanation on why he has gained only 97 yards from scrimmage the past four games as the big plays that made him an All-Pro in 2021 are no longer coming.

“Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” he wrote on Monday.

Samuel later deleted the post, but not after it caused a bit of a social media firestorm. Asked on Tuesday if he wanted to expand on what he wrote, Samuel simply said, “You read what you read. A little frustrated, for sure.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that he would prefer if Samuel had kept his frustrations off social media, but said it wasn’t a distraction to the players and coaches in the building as the Niners prepare to host the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.

Shanahan said he and Samuel talk often about his role and getting Samuel more touches is always a priority for the Niners.

“I mean 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 and we’d like to get it to him more. We’ll continue to work at that.”

Samuel had a breakthrough season in 2021 starting with a midseason game against the Rams when he caught five passes for 97 yards and a TD and was also used as a runner out of the backfield with five carries for 36 yards and another score.

Samuel helped carry the Niners to the NFC title game that season in his new role as a “wide back” who split time lining up as a wide receiver and a running back. He finished that season with 1,770 yards and 14 touchdowns from scrimmage, leading to a lucrative contract extension that offseason.

Samuel couldn’t match that output the past two seasons, but has hit some lows this season at age 28 as he says the element of surprise is gone.

“We’ve been doing it almost three years now … they know what’s going on,” he said.

He is averaging just 2.9 yards on his 32 carries as teams are more prepared for when he runs the ball and is on pace for his worst season in terms of catches and receiving yards per game with 40 receptions for 553 yards. He hasn’t scored a TD since Week 6.

Quarterback Brock Purdy called Samuel one of his best friends on the team and said that he just needs more opportunities. Purdy said defenses have been taking away some of the chances for Samuel to excel.

“I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could,” Purdy said. “I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things. We all do in this building. It’s just how the games have gone. I love my guy and I’m going to do whatever I can to get him the ball.”

NOTES: RB Isaac Guerendo (foot), DE Nick Bosa (oblique), LT Trent Williams (ankle), OL Ben Bartch (ankle) all were expected to miss the team’s walkthrough with injuries. … LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles tendon), DL Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), S Malik Mustapha (chest, shoulder), LB Dee Winters (ankle) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) were all limited.

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