Deebo Samuel breaks down why 2024 is the most "frustrating" season of his career
The San Francisco 49ers are in uncharted territory at 5-5, sitting at the bottom of the NFC West division heading into Week 12. Deebo Samuel, once a dynamic offensive weapon, now embodies the team's collective frustration. His raw, unfiltered comments reveal a season spiraling away from Super Bowl expectations.
Samuel's 2024 performance tells the tale. He's averaged just 4.5 expected yards per carry across 27 total carries—more than two full yards fewer than his impressive 6.5 average last season. The explosive plays that once defined his game have largely vanished.
In Tuesday's 'Cleats and Convos with Deebo Samuel', Samuel discussed the team's internal struggles and revealed his frustrations about this season.
"I kind of say, this year for sure. Yeah, me personally, me being, you know, want to be one of the, you know, kind of be, want to be my best self as, as much as possible."
The numbers back up his comments. Against the Seahawks, Samuel managed just four catches on seven targets, totaling 22 yards. His lone rushing attempt resulted in a negative yard—a microcosm of his current challenges.
"We kind of hit on it, like losing games that, you know, we don't supposed to lose and, you know, it's kind of like we put ourselves in positions like put our back against the wall at times."
Kyle Shanahan's offensive strategies aren't apparently helping. The coach's insistence on jet sweep runs with Samuel has become what critics call "give up" plays. Defenses easily read and neutralize these attempts, turning what should be dynamic plays into wasted opportunities.
Samuel's career has been a rollercoaster of inconsistency. His rookie season showed promise. 2020 brought injuries. 2021 was a breakthrough year. 2022 was a letdown. 2023 saw stretches of brilliance. Now, 2024 feels like his most challenging season.
"We got to finish games. We got to, you know, we got to be the Niners that everybody knows that, you know, we are."
The 49ers remain one of the league's most talented rosters. Yet, Deebo Samuel's candid admission reveals a team wrestling with its championship potential.