For five years now, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has ranked among the most dynamic players in the NFL. His ability to both catch and run the ball has given the 49ers’ offense a different dimension throughout coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure; it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why San Francisco is 54-29 since Samuel joined the team.
Now, Samuel’s dynamism is being recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the wake of a milestone performance against the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 7.
In that game, Samuel ran for 11 yards—enough to put him over 4,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his career. That made him only the second player ever to hit both those numbers in his first five seasons, after Hall of Fame Washington wide receiver, split end and running back Charley Taylor from 1964-68.
For his achievement, per a Friday release, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is displaying the South Carolina product’s “game-worn gloves, shoes and skull cap” in its modern exhibition.
Samuel and the 49ers will open their playoff campaign Saturday against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional round.
