Deebo Samuel Shuts Down Fat Shamers in Commanders Debut
This one is for all the fat shamers out there. Remember to keep your skinny mouths shut when you talk about Deebo Samuel.
Samuel, a veteran wide receiver acquired by the Washington Commanders in an offseason trade, looked like he was back to his NFL All-Pro form in a 21-6 win over the New York Giants in Week 1 following months of questions about Samuel’s weight and work ethic.
In his fist game in a Commanders uniform, Samuel led his team with 7 receptions for 77 yards and scored on his only carry of the day with a 19-yard rushing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter for Washington’s final score.
“That was quintessential (Deebo),” Washington head coach Dan Quinn said after the win.
‘Fat’ Deebo Talk Started After Down Year in 2024
The talk about Samuel being overweight started after arguably his worst year as a pro in 2024 in his final season with the San Francisco 49ers.
Samuel was generally ineffective and did, in fact, look out of shape as he slugged his way to 51 receptions for 670 yards and 3 touchdowns to go with 136 rushing yards and 1 touchdown in 15 games.
Those were Samuel’s lowest numbers since he played just 7 games in 2020.
“He had a bad year,” 49ers reporter Tim Kawakami said on “The TK Podcast” on February 13. “He is not in shape. I said it on last week’s podcast — 20 pounds. I keep hearing it, 20 pounds overweight. And that led to a lot of his lack of explosion, in their belief, his lack of ability to get through tackles, (which has) kind of been who he is. That’s why he’s so valuable. It’s not because he’s outrunning people.”
Samuel used social media to answer Kawakami in a post he later deleted, calling the stories about his weight false and adding “trust me, keep that energy,” and “people make up anything in they head!!!”
Commanders Called Out For Samuel Trade
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons pointed out that Samuel might not be the player the Commanders thought they were getting when they traded a 2025 fifth round pick for Samuel, who reworked his contract and signed a 1-year, $17.5 million contract with the Commanders for 2025.
Samuel was named an NFL All-Pro in 2021 when he racked up 1,770 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns.
“That dude’s body’s been through a lot … I watch football every week. Deebo took a (expletive) ton of hits,” Simmons said on March 4. “The way (the 49ers) used him, he was like a crash test dummy.”
Samuel’s touchdown seemed to bring out his supporters on social media.
“Dear Deebo Samuel haters, Apologize now,” 7 News DC reporter Scott Abraham wrote on his X account. “Thanks.”
“New team, same Deebo,” Bleacher Report wrote on its official X account following the touchdown.
“Deebo Samuel is showing the receipts after blogs spent the offseason calling him overweight and slow,” Preme Football wrote on its official X account.
“IN SHAPE DEEBO!!!!! THE FITTEST GUY IN THE LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!” Barstool’s Eric Nathan wrote on his official X account. “Deebo is the least fat WR in the league. Apologize!!!!”
Mike Tomlin’s Bold Compliment to Chris Boswell: ‘Our Kicker is a Serial Killer’
"He has a low pulse rate. He can't wait to deliver."
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has delivered his fair share of headline-quality quotes in interviews over the course of his career. And Sunday’s postgame press conference was no different, particularly when it came to sharing his thoughts on the hero for the Steelers on Sunday, longtime kicker Chris Boswell.
Boswell has long been considered one of football’s best kickers and maybe one of the best ever., if not the history of the NFL as a whole. During his career with the Steelers, Boswell is the fourth most accurate kicker in league history, making over 88 percent of his kicks.
Typically, Boswell’s accuracy is his calling card. But it was his distance that made the difference on Sunday, drilling a career-long 60-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Steelers a 34-32 lead over the New York Jets they would not relinquish.
Speaking to the media after the Steelers win on Sunday, Tomlin predictably praised his veteran kicker. But he did so in a rather unique way, likening his mentality to a “serial killer” who remains calm under pressure.
“I can’t say enough about Boz” said Tomlin, referring to Boswell. “Our kicker is a serial killer. He has a low pulse rate. He can’t wait to deliver.”
It’s a bit of an odd way to highlight Boswell’s composure. But it is a comparison that we have seen documented before about one of the best players at their respective position in football.
Not only has Thursday Night Football studio analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick also labeled Joe Burrow as a “serial killer” in a positive way. But most in the football space have heard the story about a sociology professor at Ohio University, who also coached Burrow’s basketball team as a child, informing his parents when he was a child that Burrow had qualities found in first responders, policemen, and serial offenders.
Maybe Boswell does share these similar qualities. Or maybe it was simply a figure of speech from Tomlin. Either way, Tomlin sure seems happy that he has Boswell on his side.
