Deebo Samuel was traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Washington Commanders in March, ending a nearly three-year quarterback-receiver relationship between him and Brock Purdy.
It was difficult for Purdy to lose his star receiver on the field, and also lose his close friend off the field. It sounds like the two players have a very special bond, especially for how welcoming Samuel was to Purdy back in 2022 when he stepped in for Jimmy Garoppolo to become the team's starter.
“It sucks, dude. He’s my boy,” Purdy said on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast. “I love Deebo. Day 1, he’s always had my back and believed in me when I got in. I didn’t really know how the guys were going to take it when I did get thrown in. Jimmy went down, I was the last quarterback, and Deebo was nothing but just great to me, dude, building me up, and just giving me confidence. In games, we fed off each other’s energy and building each other up. It was awesome, and over the last couple of years, same thing. So, we created just a great relationship. He’s my brother.”
Losing Samuel gives Purdy the opportunity to bond with other receivers on the roster, especially as the team is expected to be without Brandon Aiyuk for part of the season.
Purdy will continue building on his relationship with tight end George Kittle, who led the 49ers with 1,106 receiving yards last season. Kittle earned a huge contract extension this offseason to lock him in for an additional four years.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brock Purdy Shares How Difficult It Was Losing Deebo Samuel to Commanders.
