Deebo Samuel is back with the San Francisco 49ers after signing a 1-year, $7 million contract on Thursday evening.
Reactions to Samuel returning to the team he spent the first six years of his NFL career with have quickly sprung across the internet.
Samuel’s newly reacquainted teammate, Dre Greenlaw, who was also drafted by the 49ers in 2019, went to his Instagram story to celebrate the news.
He shared a post on his Instagram story that read “Killa!!”
Like Samuel, Greenlaw is also about to enter a reunion with the 49ers after spending last season with the Denver Broncos, when he recorded 43 total tackles, with 1 sack, and 1 interception.
49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk reacted to Samuel’s return by sharing the news on his Instagram story, saying, “The squad is back!”
The X/Twitter account @OurSF49ers reacted to the Samuel signing by posting a montage of clips that included former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey saying “I’m him,” and a San Francisco 49ers fan saying “uh-oh,” which was followed by a highlight of Samuel making Ramsey miss a tackle and scoring a touchdown.
Fan account @TheSFNiners shared their excitement of Samuel’s return to the 49ers by sharing a highlight reel that began with the character “Smokey” from the movie “Friday” saying “Deebo,” followed by a clip of former Rams pass rusher Aaron Donald saying “Who?”
The video then turned into a 49ers highlight reel of notable plays Samuel has made against the Rams in his career.
The news that Samuel is back with the 49ers comes hours after it was reported that the 49ers fear that third-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall could miss the entirety of the 2026 NFL Season if he receives surgery for a PCL injury he suffered last season.
The 49ers’ wide receiver room is led by six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans, who they signed to a lucrative three-year $60 million deal this offseason. Joining Evans is also rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling who has already impressed at NFL Training Camp.
Samuel spent last season as a member of the Washington Commanders, where he had 72 receptions for 727 yards and 5 touchdowns.
During his time as a 49er, Samuel helped the team reach the Super Bowl twice in 2020 and 2024, but ended up coming short, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs both times.
In his first stint in San Francisco, Samuel was used as a Swiss Army knife for the team, as he would split time as a wide receiver and running back.
In 2021, Samuel was an All-Pro for the 49ers, after hauling in 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and 6 touchdowns. On the ground, he ran the ball 51 times for 365 yards, with 8 rushing touchdowns.
The running back room is an area that lacks depth for the 49ers, as they received news this past Monday that Jordan James would miss time due to a broken rib. On Thursday, the 49ers hosted three tailbacks for private workouts.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
