Getty Deebo Samuel trolled Aaron Donald after the 49ers win over the Rams.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has not forgotten that Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald did not know (or at least pretended) who he was earlier this season. Samuel had a monster performance against the Rams with 11 receptions for 133 yards, but his biggest victory may have come after the game on Twitter. The 49ers star receiver posted a meme of Donald slamming his helmet on the ground along with two crying emojis.
Earlier this season, Donald was asked what it was like to prepare to defend a versatile player like Samuel. Donald responded incredulously at the time by asking, “who’s that?” Samuel also took to social media to make sure Donald remember his name.
“[I don’t] think you hear me yet 3-0 against Rams,” Samuel noted on Instagram in October.
Here is a look at the original exchange with Donald and the reporter that sparked the entire controversy.
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay Praised Deebo Samuel After the Team’s Loss to the Niners
Donald may pretend not to know who Samuel is, but Rams head coach Sean McVay made it clear after the game that the team is well aware of what the Niners receiver is capable of doing. McVay noted that Samuel is a “dual-purpose threat as a runner” to go with his catching ability.
“He has great contact balance,” McVay explained, per 49ers.com. “He makes tough catches in traffic and then they utilize him as a runner, even though those go on the receiving stats when they just flip him the ball. He’s that guy that really can serve as a good receiver, but also kind of that dual-purpose threat as a runner as well. He just sees it. He’s a strong player. He has the contact balance that I talked about and he’s a guy that’s made big plays for them since he got in as a rookie last year.”
Shanahan on Samuel: ‘He’s One of the Best Football Players I’ve Been Around’
Samuel also received praise from his own head coach who admitted he is a “very soft compliment type of guy” because he wants the receiver to reach his full potential. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan called Samuel “one of the best football players I’ve been around.”
“I can’t tell you how good Deebo Samuel was today,” Shanahan noted, per 49ers.com. “I always mess with him because I’m a very soft compliment type of guy. You’ve never arrived, you always get better. So Deebo has got a lot to work on. But he’s one of the best football players I’ve been around. It doesn’t matter how good it is or how good it looks, he’s going to get it done. Some of those plays that he made in the first half, I mean the big run that he had on the same run that he had last time. Just the physicality he plays with. ”
Samuel had a slow start to the season as he has had trouble staying on the field, but the receiver has made his presence felt when he has suited up. The 49ers receiver is doing his best so that the entire NFL remembers his name, not just Donald.
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