Jerry Rice throws Deebo Samuel under the bus — and he has a point

To say that the 2024 season hasn't gone as planned for the San Francisco 49ers would be an understatement. It's been an unmitigated disaster.

Injuries have obviously played a huge role, but this team losing essentially a must-win game by a final score of 12-6 at home against the Los Angeles Rams to fall to 6-8 on the season wasn't on anyone's bingo card before the season. The Niners are still mathematically alive, but a lot would have to go right for them to make the playoffs. That's not great for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

A lot has gone wrong to put San Francisco in this spot. Obviously, injuries are at the top of the list. However, it's not as if the healthy players have played particularly well. Deebo Samuel is a prime example of that.

Not only has Samuel had a down year production-wise, but he complained about his lack of involvement on social media ahead of San Francisco's recent Thursday Night Football game. The Niners targeted him more on Thursday and he responded with three receptions for 16 yards and a key drop that might've cost his team the game.

49ers legend and arguably the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, Jerry Rice, went on The Morning Roast and rightfully threw Samuel under the bus.

Jerry Rice has a point with Deebo Samuel criticism

Instead of focusing on the team and complaining about touches, Rice would've been frustrated with his own play. The one thing Samuel can't do as a receiver is drop passes — especially after he was complaining about his lack of involvement. Now, Samuel made an already uncomfortable situation that much worse.

Samuel was a Pro Bowler once upon a time but he has never come close to replicating his production from his breakout 2021 season. In 13 games this season, Samuel has 43 receptions for 569 yards and one touchdown in the air, and he has 95 yards on 34 carries with one touchdown on the ground. He was once as explosive of a player as there was both in the air and even on the ground when called upon, but now, he's a shell of himself in both areas.

Samuel has been targeted just three fewer times than George Kittle, yet is 17 receptions, over 300 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns behind the tight end. He's been involved a ton, yet has underperformed. If anything, an argument can be made he's been targeted too much based on his production.

Samuel can believe whatever he wants to believe, but he's been involved in the Niners offense. Part of the reason why it has underwhelmed despite the injuries is because he has had such a down year.

The last thing Samuel should've done was complain based on how he's played. If he felt the need to complain, he had to, at the very least, back it up when the team gave him seven chances. He could not look any worse, and Rice was absolutely right to voice his displeasure with the situation as a whole.