Vintage Deebo Samuel performance shouldn't go overlooked in 49ers win vs. Rams

Veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel had plenty of reasons to be motivated upon his return to the San Francisco 49ers this season, particularly after his career waned in the wake of his impeccable 2021 All-Pro campaign.

So, to kickstart his second run with the Niners against a team he publicly admitted a hatred, the Los Angeles Rams, had to give a bit of added boost.

True, San Francisco outperformed its NFC West rivals on all fronts in the 27-7 Week 1 victory in Melbourne, Australia. And the greater takeaways will likely focus on the 49ers' decision to travel early, running back Christian McCaffrey looking like his normal self and fellow wide receiver Mike Evans being as advertised after coming aboard last offseason.

But Deebo shouldn't be lost in the shuffle.

Deebo Samuel looked like his old self in 49ers win over Rams

Samuel's stat line reads something not unlike many of those memorable 2021 bouts in which he, almost single-handedly, carried the Niners to the NFC Championship game.

Through the air, Deebo managed six catches for 48 yards and a touchdown, while also adding one rush for 12 yards. Then, in the return game, Samuel had an exceptional kickoff return for 45 yards, too, all culminating in 105 combined yards for the game.

Related story: 5 winners (and 3 losers) from 49ers' commanding win over Rams

"It felt like I never left," Samuel told reporters afterward, referring to his 2025 one-year absence from San Francisco with the Washington Commanders. "Honestly, I’d been gone for like seven months."

Tight end George Kittle subsequently remarked how even that was too long.

Sure, the 30-year-old Samuel may not quite be the same player he was several years ago, and he did have a focus drop early in the game that didn't look good. But overall, his presence on the field certainly gave L.A. an additional factor to think about.

Interestingly enough, in the 11 regular-season games Samuel has played against Los Angeles, the Niners have won nine of them, including the tilt in Melbourne. Perhaps San Francisco just has better luck with him present on the field.

Plus, in light of rookie wideout De'Zhaun Stribling's in-game ankle injury, the 49ers can rest a little easier knowing that Deebo can still make plays at this stage of his career.

They'll certainly need more of those efforts as the year moves along, too.

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