San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has made it clear that he does not consider the Philadelphia Eagles to be a rival. Despite the Eagles defeating the 49ers in the 2023 NFC Championship, Samuel believes that rivalries are only formed through close games. He dismissed any talk of a rivalry with the NFC East team, stating, “That’s over with.”
In their regular season matchup, the 49ers dominated the Eagles with a 42-19 victory. This win came during a period of struggle for Philadelphia, as they had lost five of their last six games. Samuel’s comments about the Eagles are not surprising, as he is known for his trash talk but remains casual about it.
If the Eagles want to seek revenge against Samuel, they will have to make it to the playoffs and face the 49ers there. The two teams will not meet in the regular season. Samuel’s focus on the Eagles stems from previous comments and his impressive performance against them in the past season.
During their matchup, Samuel had a standout performance, catching four passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He also contributed 22 rushing yards and a score. This game marked the first time he achieved a “hat trick” in his NFL career. The significance of this performance was heightened by the ongoing chatter surrounding it.
As the 49ers prepare for the Super Bowl, former quarterback Alex Smith believes that they may need to engage in a shootout to secure victory. Smith points out that the 49ers defense lacks impact plays, putting pressure on Samuel, quarterback Brock Purdy, and the offense. He suggests that the only chance the 49ers have to win is through a high-scoring game, as the Chiefs defense has been consistently improving.
The 49ers’ recent NFC Championship win supports Smith’s analysis. Although they were able to force turnovers and mount a comeback, San Francisco needed to score 34 points to defeat the Lions. Achieving a similar total against the Chiefs will be a challenging task.