Getty A Hall of Famer compared Deebo Samuel to a forgotten Super Bowl winner.
Fred Warner is a key piece of the San Francisco 49ers dominant defensive units and arguably one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
But after Deebo Samuel had a career performance, helping the 49ers offense cruise to a 42-19 road victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on November 3, Warner gave the San Francisco jack-of-all-trades the ultimate compliment.
“Deebo’s one of the best football players I’ve ever seen.” — Fred Warner 🤝
“Deebo is one of the best football players I’ve ever seen,” Warner said after the game.
“Performances like that don’t surprise me. It’s only a matter of time when he does kind of pop off like that. People were saying things about things he said before the game, but I think his actions spoke louder than words.”
Samuel finished the game with four receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another three carries for 22 yards an a third touchdown on the ground.
DEEBO SAMUEL TO THE HOUSE 🤯
But his ability to take routine plays and making them explosive, game-changing long touchdowns is what separates him from other players and his teammates clearly notice.
Nick Bosa Adds to Samuel Praise
The 49ers offense is clearly loaded with offensive talent, but after Samuel’s monumental performance in Philadelphia, star pass rusher Nick Bosa echoed Fred Warner’s praise for the San Francisco WR.
“I think he’s the epitome of unselfishness, he got paid and obviously that comes with a lot of pressure to be the guy, and when you have so many dudes, you aren’t going to get those ops very often,” Bosa said.
Nick Bosa says Deebo Samuel is the “epitome of unselfishness” and praises his ability to “thrive” in hostile environments 😤
”But I just love the fact that he can talk, and walk into a hostile environment and just thrive,” Bosa added.
The 49ers defensive end then took his praise for Deebo Samuel to another level
“That’s what greatness is made of for sure.”
Those are bold statements from two of the top players in the NFL, but Samuel’s results back up the compliments from his teammates.
Is Deebo Samuel Key to 49ers Offensive Success?
While Kyle Shanahan has plenty of weapons to use on offense, it’s clear the machine runs a whole lot smoother when Samuel is on the field and healthy.
After he suffered a shoulder injury in the first series against the Cleveland Browns back on Oct. 15, San Francisco suffered its first loss of the year, falling 19-17.
The 49ers went on to lose the next two matchups, a 22-17 falter to the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 23 and a 31-17 loss to the Bengals on Oct. 29.
But then Samuel returned on Nov. 12, and the 49ers offense looked much better in a dominating 34-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that entered that matchup with a (6-2) record.
There’s an argument Samuel’s presence and health on the 49ers offense is a major factor to the overall success of the team.
After the win over the Eagles, Shanahan noted his star WR has been slowly building toward a breakout performance.
“He’s as good as there is when that balls in his hands and people don’t like to tackle him.”
Kyle Shanahan on Deebo Samuel
“Deebo was banged up for a little while and missed some games, he’s been getting back into his rhythm,” Shanahan said. “He’s been really close here for a couple weeks now. He’s gotten the ball in some good situations, and when I mean good situations I mean to get like six or eight yards, and he turns it into what you guys see. He’s as good as there is when that ball is in his hands.”
It’s clear the 49ers have offensive firepower across the board, but when Samuel is healthy and part of the game plan, it takes their unit to a whole different level.