Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel summarized his departure from the San Francisco 49ers with one word: bittersweet.
The 49ers traded Samuel to the Commanders for a fifth-round draft pick on March 1, and the trade will become official when the new NFL year begins on March 12. Samuel spent the first six years of his career in San Francisco, where his stellar offensive play helped get the team to two Super Bowls.
Samuel was a second-round draft pick in 2019. The 49ers selected him out of South Carolina, where he caught 148 passes for 2,076 yards and 16 touchdowns in his collegiate career. Samuel took off in the NFL with 334 receptions for 4,796 yards and 22 touchdowns, plus his dynamic rushing. He had 1,143 yards rushing for 20 touchdowns on 202 carries in his time with the Niners.
“When the trade happened, and my mind was flipping through all the memories like a scrapbook or something, I just kept reflecting on how our guys put in so much work together,” Samuel wrote. “Our locker room gave college vibes, you know what I mean? It wasn’t like your typical locker room. Everybody’s so close, everybody hangs out.”
Samuel highlighted his relationships with fellow wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Jacob Cowing. Likewise, Samuel talked about his relationships with 49ers leadership, such as head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, although Samuel had to have the tough conversations with them regarding a trade request after the 2024 season.
“After I talked with Kyle, I talked to John, and he understood where I was coming from and gave me his perspective on everything,” Samuel wrote. “We talked about why we thought it was a good move for both of us.
“And listen, for John and Kyle to send me to a team in the NFC that was almost a Super Bowl contender, it just shows you the type of love and relationship that we have. I know at the end of the day, they didn’t have to do that.”
Washington became a Super Bowl contender out of nowhere in 2024, and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels became an instant star. Daniels notably played with Aiyuk in college at Arizona State and the two teased their friendship on social media last offseason when Aiyuk sought a bigger contract.
Ironically, Samuel also wanted to join the Commanders because of Daniels and got the green light. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns as he led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.
“I think this is one of the best possible fits for me, where I can go in and help a team,” Samuel wrote. “Honestly, when my agent asked me where I wanted to go, this was one of the teams at the top of my list. I started watching Jayden because of Aiyuk—that’s like his best friend. We used to chill and watch LSU games, and I knew he was going to be a stud. I’ve got some connections already with the coaching staff.”
Samuel mentioned his most recent quarterback, 49ers starter Brock Purdy, among the people with whom he made memories in San Francisco. In Samuel’s time, he played mainly with two quarterbacks—Jimmy Garoppolo primarily from 2019 to 2022 and Purdy for the past two full seasons.
“I just want to thank everyone from the top of the 49ers organization on down … and last, but not least, thank you to the fans,” Samuel wrote.
San Francisco won’t face the Commanders in the 2025 season unless the two teams meet in the playoffs.
