6 reasons why 49ers 2021 season was still awesome (it really was)

Reason No. 1: Deebo Samuel established himself as an NFL star

Before 2021, George Kittle was the unquestioned No. 1 Niners offensive star, and no one doubted that.

Heading into 2022, Kittle effectively becomes the No. 2 star on offense. The top role goes to Deebo Samuel, plain and simple.

Samuel entered 2020 as a promising up-and-coming player. Injuries thwarted his sophomore campaign, of course, so there were going to be some legitimate questions about the kind of impact he’d have this season.

With 18 regular-season weeks and three playoff games in the books now, it’s safe to assume Samuel is a star.

Samuel’s 1,770 all-purpose yards ranked third best in the entire NFL this season, and it was the way San Francisco used him over the course of the year that establishes him as a massive threat for the long haul. Whether it’s as a yards-after-the-catch master in the receiving game, a legitimate “wide receiver in a running back’s body” or even as a trick-play quarterback, there was no shortage of “wow” moments when Samuel was on the field.

Just like the remaining core group San Francisco boasts, there’s no reason to assume Samuel’s impact goes away anytime soon.

And for that, fans can be awfully thankful.