Deebo Samuel and 49ers have all the excuses for Super Bowl hangover

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel walked off the field with a towel on his head, shielding him from the dreadful McDonalds-colored confetti that rained down in Allegiant Stadium. For the second time in five seasons, the Niners entered the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl with a lead over the Kansas City Chiefs. And for the second time, the Niners walked away in defeat.

San Francisco once held an unblemished 5-0 record in Super Bowl appearances. Since then, they've felt the heartache of losing the title game three times. Their two most recent Super Bowl appearances have been close enough in proximity to inflict pain on the same core group of players twice. Each time, the team has struggled to bounce back in the following season.

The 49ers had a 13-3 record in the 2019 season, which ended with a loss in Super Bowl LIV. In the following season, they finish fourth in the NFC West with a 6-10 record. San Francisco finished the 2023 season with a 12-5 record, but ultimately lost their rematch against Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII. Entering Week 18, they are in last place in their division with a 6-10 record once again.

Deebo Samuel offered an explanation for 49ers' struggles

During an appearance on the 'St. Brown Podcast,' 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel discussed the emotions of losing a Super Bowl and explained why the team has struggled to bounce back.

“Not gonna lie, losing the Super Bowl, it puts you in depression," Samuel said. "You go months without talking to people, wanting to be seen. When I lost the Super Bowl, I stayed in Vegas and got on a [Mercedez-Benz Sprinter van] going back home by myself [for] seven hours. Losing the Super Bowl, that's one of the worst feelings ever. Think about it in our position. We just went through camp, we just went through the whole season, we got here, we lose. Now you back to work in three weeks. And you’re about to do it all over again. Losing the Super Bowl is crazy. I lost [in] the Super Bowl twice to the same team.”

Only three teams — the 1971 Dallas Cowboys, 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2018 New England Patriots — followed up a Super Bowl defeat with a Super Bowl victory in the following season.

Although it's colloquially become known as the Super Bowl hangover or Super Bowl curse, making it to consecutive Super Bowl games already has a high degree of difficulty. With the postseason extending into February, the team has a shortened offseason to deal with the aftermath of the loss. Front offices have less time to catch up on offseason chores, locker rooms become resentful, finances become tighter. Players have a shortened offseason to cope with their emotions and prepare for the following season, which brings increased visibility, pressure and expectations.

For San Francisco's current players, who lost two Super Bowls against the same team in heartbreaking fashion, those emotions are likely even harder to cope with.