49ers star wide receiver Deebo Samuel was a big part of San Francisco’s 41-23 wildcard win over the Seahawks on Saturday.
But as he helped San Francisco secure the big win, the 49ers wide receiver was part of a controversial in-game tackle with Seahawks’ Johnathan Abram. With less than 10:30 in the third quarter, Samuel scored a first down for the 49ers on a 21-yard reception and then was tackled by Abram.
But after the game was clearly over, Abram pinned Samuel’s ankle and appeared to twist him, signaling a response from Samuel, a series of boos from fans at Levi’s Stadium and a brief conflict on the field. When questioned about the incident after the game, Samuel said he was just trying to keep calm.
“I lay there a bit because I almost lost my temper,” Samuel said. “It hurt, of course, but I was about to lose my mind.”
Part of Samuel’s frustration stemmed from the wide receiver missing weeks 14-17 of this season with his left ankle and MCL sprains before returning in the last week of the season. While Samuel went out for a game after the questionable tackle, he returned and remained dominant in his performance.
Samuel finished the game with six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 32 yards with three carries on the ground. With the win, the 49ers (14-4) advanced to the NFC divisional round for the second year in a row and the third time in the past four years.