San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is set to take the field this Sunday against the Detroit Lions, raising questions about the extent of his involvement and his ability to endure contact.
Despite concerns about protecting his previously injured left shoulder, Samuel expressed confidence on Friday, stating, “I ain’t protecting nothing,” as reported by David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com.
In Week 6, Samuel’s playing time was cut short against the Cleveland Browns after sustaining a left shoulder injury, later diagnosed as a hairline fracture. This forced him to miss the remainder of that game and the subsequent two, resulting in three consecutive losses for the 49ers.
In the following week’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Samuel played only nine offensive snaps before a hit to the same shoulder sidelined him for the rest of the game. However, medical tests on Sunday revealed that the injury was limited to a deep bruise, according to Samuel.
Describing the moment, Samuel admitted, “At the time, it was hurting really bad. I was kind of scared a little bit. I thought I had fractured again, and I was just all over the place. In a big game like that, I had millions of emotions on the sideline, trying to kind of hold them together for my team.”
The wide receiver credited the training staff for his recovery, noting that he spent most of the week in the training room receiving treatment. Despite initial pain, Samuel was a full participant in Friday’s practice.
Reflecting on his progress, Samuel stated, “It was kind of painful at the time, but as the week went on, [the training staff] did a good job, getting all the pain away, getting all my motion and strength back, and I feel like they did an outstanding job.”
Head coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized the significance of having Samuel back on the field, highlighting the impact he has on the team’s performance. Statistics show that the 49ers averaged 7.1 yards per play with Samuel, compared to 5.7 yards per play without him this season.
