Getty Deebo Samuel runs past the Seahawks on January 14, 2023.
As fireworks went off on Tuesday, July 4, Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers has launched a different kind of explosion — his speed.
In a viral video released by videographer Sam Russo (h/t Alex Tran of Niners Nation), the clip shows the 2021 All-Pro hitting an uncanny mark of 18.6 miles per hour on the treadmill:
#49ers WR Deebo Samuel hit 18.6mph. I can hit maybe 3-4mph 😂
🎥: thesamrusso IG
That kind of speed he showed inside the Exos Sports facility put him in a different category — matching the speed of one large species in cold elements.
Samuel Has Speed of Polar Bear
Samuel’s miles per hour matched the average polar bear.
According to the website Speed of Animals, the top speed a polar bear reaches on average is also 18.6 mph. Though some polar bears were timed at hitting 25 mph according to Polar Guidebook. Even given their rather large stature which includes weighing up to 990 pounds, they’ve used long strides to catch their prey and use their speed for short distance.
Samuel’s speed also makes him as fast as the following animals according to speedofanimals.com:
Roadrunner: The fleet footed bird known more to habitat in the California desert regions can hit a top speed of 19 miles per hour.
Six-lined race runner: The reptile can reach a maximum speed of 18 mph.
Black mamba: Known as the fastest snakes in the world, the fastest a mamba has hit speed wise is 20 mph.
Back to Samuel, that kind of speed left plenty of 49er fans convinced that 2023 will be his comeback season.
‘More Locked in’ & ‘Hungrier Than Ever’
Members of the 49ers Faithful immediately chimed in reacting to watching the “wide back” hit that speed mark.
“It seems like Deebo is more locked in and hungrier than ever this off-season! He’s had enough of almost! He wants his ring,” one fan said.
“Oh man we getting 2021 Deebo back,” another fan said online.
Others who reveal they workout on a treadmill pointed out how difficult it is for a human to hit that kind of speed.
“Those treadmills are hard. I could hit 14 on a regular. And that’s fast. Mine goes up to 12.5 and I can do that for about a minute,” the fan said.
One more fan brought up how Samuel’s speed is impressive due to the fact he’s used a different kind of speed on the football field.
“The thing about Deebo is that he’s never really been a straight speed guy. It’s his burst when he sees a lane that makes defenders look slow. It’s like he hits turbo button. Check out the run versus Seattle in the playoffs or the end around vs Arizona in Mexico to see what I’m talking about,” the fan said.
He’s referring to this catch-and-run score that put the game away against the Seahawks, plus the rushing score against the Cardinals here.
Samuel already vowed to improve upon last season’s down season he had, which looked nothing like the dominating and consistent 2021 season he delivered that led to his rise in NFL popularity, plus earned him a Pro Bowl nod. Now, he’s showing signs that the top end speed is ready to be unleashed like a polar bear using its strides in the arctic.