Star tight end George Kittle, who spent six seasons with Deebo Samuel on the San Francisco 49ers, came to his former teammate's defense after fans called out his weight in a viral video from minicamp.
Star tight end George Kittle, who spent six seasons with Deebo Samuel on the San Francisco 49ers, came to his former teammate's defense after fans called out his weight in a viral video from minicamp. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The San Francisco 49ers traded star receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders earlier this offseason.
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After Samuel had requested a trade, reports rose that the 49ers could be inclined to move him due to an alarming allegation that he had spent the 2024 season 20 pounds overweight.
For Washington, those rumors didn't seem to be an issue when it gave up draft capital to pair Deebo with All-Pro receiver Terry McLaurin and exciting young quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Samuel got his first reps with the Commanders this week at mandatory minicamp and speculation about his weight returned after a route-running video went viral. Fans claimed Deebo looked heavier than normal and a touch slower as a result.
With nothing better for fans to do, it's not uncommon for social media to turn into a feeding ground for speculating and overanalyzing every glimpse from inside NFL minicamps. That could be the case here, but Deebo's history of weight concerns don't help his cause in avoiding criticism.
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49ers star tight end George Kittle, who spent six seasons with him in San Francisco, came to his former teammate's defense in the comment section of an aggregator account that was trying to put Samuel on blast.
"It's called a group install when players jog thru plays. Knock it off," Kittle said.
Fans could be reaching for the tinfoil hats a bit too prematurely here, and Kittle is doing his best to remind the haters and theorists that there is nothing to gossip about regarding Samuel's speed.
Physically, Deebo has never been the skinniest guy to begin with. His pads may make his torso look thinner during the season, so seeing him in just a jersey for the first time this year could have caught fans off guard.
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Those initial rumors from March from Matt Barrows of The Athletic hint at the 49ers having faced these thoughts for years.
"... But that's a concern. I think the 49ers had that concern the minute he showed up in Santa Clara in 2019 and it never fully went away.'
The concern may have been there, but when Samuel shined in 2021 with 18.2 yards per reception and over 1,700 all-purpose yards, nobody seemed to bring up his weight.
Part of the reason Samuel excels in rushing is his combination and strength and speed, so it's worth remembering that this body type isn't completely out of the ordinary.
Since that All-Pro season with the 49ers, Samuel has seen a decline numbers wise. However, he is still widely considered an elite player because of his unique dual-threat capabilities at the position.
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He'll put that reputation to the test in his first season with the Commanders in 2025.
From here on out, we can expect to see regular Deebo updates from training camp to either contradict or defend this criticism.
Related: 49ers Receiver Poised for Major Breakout Amid Brandon Aiyuk Rehab
Related: Niners' Blockbuster Trade Piece Named Biggest Loss
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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