The San Francisco 49ers finally ended the Deebo Samuel saga and traded the talented wide receiver to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick over the weekend. However, the drama surrounding Samuel and the organization still hasn't subsided.
After the trade, a lot of hay has been made about Samuel's conditioning issues. The Athletic's Matt Barrows confirmed 49ers insider Tim Kawakami's report from after the season about Samuel being 20 pounds overweight during the season. The former Pro Bowler then responded to this speculation and said that he was 225 pounds, to be exact, and was looking forward to a fresh start in Washington.
Samuel's weight was a concern throughout his time in San Francisco. There have been reports about him not being in the optimal shape the organization wanted him to be. Now that Samuel's relationship with the Niners is officially over, more details about how fractured it was are coming out.
In the midst of all of this, however, Samuel had nothing but love for his former organization. On Monday night, he took to social media to thank John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan for everything they have done for him.
49ers know where I stand with them and it’s nothing but love. Love John and Kyle to death no bad blood no way shape or form. They know I’m more than appreciative of everything they done for me as a player and a man nothing but love ❤️.
— Deebo (@19problemz) March 3, 2025
Deebo Samuel Has Nothing but Love for the 49ers Organization
In his statement, Samuel said that he loves his former head coach and team owner and that there is no bad blood between them.
While it's best to take Samuel at his word, it's completely understandable why many assume that there is tension between the sides. The veteran wide receiver had requested a trade in 2022 before agreeing on a contract extension with the 49ers. Last season, he was at the center of trade rumors alongside fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. There have been reports about the team being unhappy about his physical fitness, and his performance was steadily declining.
Now, Samuel has a great opportunity to redeem himself and start over in Washington. He will always be remembered fondly by Niners fans as one of the most unique and versatile offensive weapons the team has had in recent memory.