Deebo Samuel talked the talk and walked the walk in the 49ers' dominant 42-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The dual-threat wide receiver hauled in four receptions for 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the air and totaled three rushes for 22 yards and a score on the ground in a career-best performance against the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Samuel made waves earlier this week for doubling down on his comments after the 49ers' NFC Championship Game loss to the Eagles last season, where he called Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry "trash."
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The 27-year-old is not one to shy away from confrontation and knew there would be a spotlight on him after his comments this week and last season. However, it's all fun and games for Samuel, who got the last laugh on Sunday.
"I ain't going to lie, I was in that zone all week long," Samuel told reporters postgame. "Before it's like they beat us in the NFC Championship and at the end of the day, talking trash, it's just part of the game. Hopefully nobody took it to heart because it's all fun and games at the end of the day."
This is the second consecutive season Samuel trails fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk as the team's top pass catcher, and in a loaded 49ers offense, Samuel sometimes will take a back seat to whoever might be the go-to weapon (or two) on any given day. That unselfishness and ability to stay ready for when his number is called has earned him his teammates' respect.
San Francisco 49ers
"I think he's the epitome of unselfishness," Bosa said of Samuel. "He got paid and obviously that comes with a lot of pressure to be the guy and when you have so many dudes you're not going to get those [opportunities] very often. But I love the fact he can talk and set the stage and walk into a hostile environment and just thrive. That's what greatness is made of for sure."
Samuel tore the Eagles' secondary to shreds on Sunday and, in the words of 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, let his play do all the talking this time around.
"Deebo's one of the best football players I've ever seen," Warner shared. "Performances like that don't surprise me, it's only a matter of time when he does kind of pop off like that and people were saying things about things he may have said before the game. I think it's safe to say his actions spoke louder than his words."
Samuel and the 49ers will revel in their statement win over the Eagles on a happy flight back to the Bay Area before preparing for another matchup with the NFC West division-rival Seattle Seahawks next Sunday at Levi's Stadium.