Deebo Samuel is making his way back to familiar turf in the Bay Area.
A spokesperson for the San Francisco 49ers confirmed late Thursday to The Daily Mail that the dynamic wide receiver, now 30, has decided to return to the team after spending a year with the Washington Commanders.
The specifics of Samuel’s new contract are still under wraps. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported that the agreement includes a one-year deal potentially worth up to $7 million. The Daily Mail has reached out to Samuel’s representatives for additional comments.
Samuel’s comeback occurs amidst some turmoil for the 49ers. The team is navigating challenges with Brandon Aiyuk, a receiver who is currently sitting out of training camp due to a trade request, and Ricky Pearsall, another seasoned receiver, faces the prospect of knee surgery that could end his season prematurely.
While Samuel may not replicate his explosive 2021 performance, where he amassed 1,770 yards and 14 touchdowns earning All-Pro honors, his stint with Washington last season demonstrated his continued effectiveness. Over 16 games, the versatile receiver gathered 727 yards and scored five touchdowns across 72 receptions, proving his enduring value on the field.
It should be interesting to see if Samuel becomes a threat out of the backfield again in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Between 2021 and 2024, the South Carolina product ran the ball 180 times for the 49ers, racking up 958 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Deebo Samuel played the 2025 season in Washington, but is now returning to the Bay
The re-acquisition of Samuel comes as the Niners face an impasse with Brandon Aiyuk
The Niners could lose Ricky Pearsall to a season-ending knee surgery, but that isn’t certain yet
‘Kyle Shanahan already drawing up those Deebo gadget plays as we speak,’ one fan wrote on X.
Aiyuk, meanwhile, has faced significant criticism for a number of recent actions, including the crude jokes he made about Shanahan’s recent car crash.
‘You can’t win the race if you crash out,’ Aiyuk said about Shanahan, who suffered a broken hand, three broken ribs and a concussion in a crash that nearly cost him his eye.
Aiyuk has been lashing out on social media for months and was recently the subject of an arrest warrant in California over a December YouTube post purportedly showing him driving a Cadillac at over 100mph. It was around that time the team placed Aiyuk on the reserve list with a ‘left squad’ designation as Shanahan admitted he had not seen Aiyuk ‘in forever.’
Things have only gotten worse for Aiyuk, who was slammed recently for posting video in which he appeared to kick one of his dogs. He also recently fired his agents.
Aiyuk’s career was undeniably impressive from 2020, when he was a third-round pick by the Niners out of Arizona State, and 2024, when he signed a four-year, $120 million extension only to tear his ACL and MCL.
He’d go on to miss the entire 2025 season and has since ordered the team to trade him, while demand for his services has yet to materialize.
One thing is clear: Aiyuk is done with the 49ers.
‘I will not be reinstating with them or ever doing any kind of business with them,’ he wrote on Instagram.
Brandon Aiyuk has been attacking his perceived enemies on YouTube and Instagram
Police in Palo Alto, California are refusing to release body-cam footage or an accident report from the aftermath Kyle Shanahan’s harrowing car crash
As for Shanahan, he remains away from the team as he recovers from the July 14 crash. In his place, long-time 49ers assistant Chris Foerster has assumed Shanahan’s role.
Foerster has worked extensively with Samuel since the two first arrived in the Bay back in 2019.
Samuel was a cap casualty after the 2024 season when 49ers President John Lynch traded him to the Commanders, who guaranteed the receiver’s $17 million 2025 salary.
‘What a reunion!’ one fan wrote on X. ‘Deebo back in a 49ers uniform is going to be exciting to watch.’