Kyle Shanahan responds to Deebo Samuels’ viral comments about the 49ers’ offense

The San Francisco 49ers stabilized the situation on Sunday with a confident 38:13 victory over the reeling Chicago Bears. The Niners, reigning NFC champions, are now 6-7 and remain within striking distance of the division-leading Seattle Seahawks as they begin the top run of the 2024 season.

All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel wasn’t one of the players who had a good day in the win over the Bears. Samuel totaled just two catches for 22 yards and added 13 yards rushing on five attempts. That worrying trend for San Francisco continues this season, as the 28-year-old Samuel is on pace to have one of the worst statistical seasons of his career.

After another tough game against Chicago, Samuel went to X to defend himself against critics and went viral when he said the problem was that he wasn’t getting enough touches on the 49ers’ offense. On Tuesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan responded, telling reporters that this is not a distraction and they plan to get the ball in his hands more often.

It’s not necessarily ideal for a coach to have a star player claim that a lack of ball contact is the reason for a lack of performance. On the other hand, it is a time-honored tradition in football for a receiver to call for the ball more often, which in most cases is due to the receiver’s desire to make plays rather than any genuine dissatisfaction.

The Niners will need everything Samuel can give them as things heat up in the NFC playoffs.