Deebo Samuel has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his incredibly dominant performance in the 49ers’ 42-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Licoln Financial Field.
Samuel finished the game with four receptions for 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air while carrying the ball three times for 22 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
The physical receiver’s three touchdowns in a single game is a career-best and he becomes only the fourth receiver since 2000 to record over 100 yards receiving, two touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in a game.
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Coach Kyle Shanahan was impressed by how Samuel was able to extend plays with the ball in his hands.
“He got the ball in some good situations,” Shanahan said after the game. “When I say good situations, I mean to get six to eight yards and he turns it into what you guys see. He is as good as there is when that ball is in his hands. People don’t like to tackle him.”
Samuel’s performance was reminiscent of his 2021 season when he gave himself the “wide-back” nickname. In that All-Pro campaign, Samuel received Player-of-the-Week honors twice in Weeks 8 and 10.
Knowing what happened the last time the 49ers visited Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game, Samuel partook in a little extracurricular talk on social media prior to the Week 13 contest. Quarterback Brock Purdy sensed his receiver was locked in, and ready for a standout performance.
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“Yeah, he had a little something,” Purdy said. “A little history with obviously the way things went down last year in the playoff game and he’s definitely looked forward to this game, coming back into this place. So, he was pumped about it and ready to go.
“Man, all I had to do was get him the ball and some space and he made the rest happen. Really happy for him.”
Samuel becomes only the second 49ers wideout to receive Player of the Week honors three or more times behind Jerry Rice who was given the recognition a whopping 12 times. The South Carolina product now joins fellow alum Sterling Sharpe as a three-time recipient of the honor.