No shocker: 49ers’ Deebo Samuel reveals his most-hated NFL team

Samuel had a bit of a feud with Los Angeles Rams star defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who admits to loathing the 49ers.

“I dislike the Niners. Everybody knows that,” Donald told NFL Network last offseason. “I don’t like the Niners at all. They don’t like us. It’s just the rivals. Every time we play, it’s a dog fight, and that’s how it is. No love at all towards them guys.”

Donald was asked about Samuel following a Rams loss to the 49ers in 2020. His response went viral.

“Who? Who’s that?” Donald asked the reporter during the post-game presser.

Samuel believes the 49ers are a team that responds with their play on the field, not by providing viral quotes.

“We’re not a team to go out in the media and be like, ‘Who is this person? What this person do?’ We just put the pads on and go to work,” Samuel told NFL Network last year. “… It’s a big rivalry. That’s one of them physical games you know you got to get ready for.”

Losing your QB in the NFC Championship Game

Samuel also shared his thoughts on losing quarterback Brock Purdy in the NFC Championship Game, which might have cost the 49ers a trip to the Super Bowl.

San Francisco started its season with Trey Lance as QB1. Lance went down in Week 2 with a season-ending ankle injury, thrusting Jimmy Garoppolo into the starting lineup. That ended in Week 13 when Garoppolo suffered a broken foot, launching Purdy’s storybook run.

In the NFC title game, Purdy suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“You never expect a team to get to the third quarterback, but overall, the way he handled everything, it was outstanding,” Samuel told Hart, an Eagles fan.

After Purdy went down early in the game, Samuel and the 49ers didn’t know the severity of the injury.

“It was so crazy,” Samuel said. “At that time, it wasn’t too much like conversation because we thinking he about to come back out because he probably got nicked up. So we find out Purdy’s down. Like, for the rest of the game, he can’t throw the ball past five yards, not even five yards.

“So whatever it takes—if we got to go back to 1950, three yards a carry right up the middle all game—this is what it’s going to have to be. We can’t throw it. Then you got [RB] Christian [McCaffrey] coming to huddle with a quarterback wristband, and we’re just like … we got Purdy in the game. He could barely take the handoff.”

Samuel added, “Like, what were we supposed to do? You’ve got to be thankful for just being in that moment.”