Deebo Samuel

Nike announced Wednesday that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has signed an endorsement contract with its Jordan Brand.

"To me, it's surreal and truly special to hear I'm joining the family," Samuel said. "As a kid, all I wanted were J's. Being a part of the Jordan Brand is something I've always wanted, and for it to be a reality is special to me. It's a dream come true to be a Jordan Brand athlete and help carry this legacy forward to the next generation on and off the field."

Samuel becomes the seventh NFL receiver to join Jumpman alongside Davante Adams, Chase Claypool, Stefon Diggs, Jarvis Landry, Sterling Shepard and Michael Thomas.

"I'm looking forward to inspiring the young football players and young kids out there who want to create greatness in their own way," the 2021 Pro Bowler said.

Nike said he was selected as someone who could uphold the Jordan Brand's "standard of excellence."

Samuel showcased game-changing versatility last season, tallying 1,770 yards from scrimmage (1,405 receiving and 365 rushing) and 14 total touchdowns across 16 appearances to earn a First-Team All-Pro selection.

The Niners rewarded his success with a three-year, $71.6 million contract extension in July.

"We are overjoyed to have come together with Deebo to keep him with the 49ers for years to come," general manager John Lynch said. "Deebo has the rare ability to not only play at a unique level but to inspire his teammates with the way he plays. He is a special player that embodies 'will meeting skill.' We're proud to move forward with him as an integral leader and foundational piece of our team."

Between the new contract and his endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand, it's been a successful couple of months for the 26-year-old South Carolina native.

Samuel, who's recorded 242 total yards in three games so far this season, and the Niners are back in action Monday night when they host the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium for a key NFC West clash.

The San Francisco 49ers had trouble enjoying Sunday's 27-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks after losing second-year quarterback Trey Lance for the remainder of the season because of a broken ankle that requires surgery.

49ers receiver Deebo Samuel was somber after the game, telling reporters, "Seeing all the work that Trey put in from last year to this year, it kind of broke my heart."

Lance suffered the injury with 2:20 left in the first quarter of Sunday's game after running a read-option play. He laid on the field in obvious pain before his right leg was placed in an air cast and he was carted back to the locker room. He was 2-of-3 for 30 yards and ran the ball three times for 13 yards before exiting the game.

The injury comes just days after Lance acknowledged that he needed to do a better job of protecting himself while running the ball. The 22-year-old led San Francisco with 13 carries and 54 rushing yards in the team's Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears.

"I'm not bigger, faster and stronger than pretty much everyone else," Lance said on Wednesday. "Guys catch up a lot quicker, space is filled, guys close a lot faster, and I have to learn to protect myself, just being in a different situation knowing how important it is for me to stay healthy."

Lance was replaced on Sunday by Jimmy Garoppolo, who finished with 154 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-21 passing. He also added a rushing touchdown.

Garoppolo agreed to a restructured contract in August that reduced his base salary from $24 million to $6.5 million, but it included incentives for playing time and team success that could raise it to $16 million.

The 49ers will return to action next Sunday night against the Denver Broncos.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a bruise behind his knee and is not participating in Sunday's practice.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner noted that Samuel is "not expected to miss much time" and could return next week.

The 49ers begin their regular season Sept. 11 against the Chicago Bears.

Samuel was one of San Francisco's best receivers last season, catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games, but he hasn't been the most durable in his fledgling career.

The 26-year-old appeared in just seven games during the 2020 campaign because of a foot fracture and a nagging hamstring injury. He was effective when healthy, though, catching 33 passes for 391 yards and one touchdown.

However, it was still considered a disappointing year for the 2019 second-round pick after he finished his rookie season with 57 catches for 802 yards and three touchdowns.

If Samuel is forced to miss time, the Niners will rely on Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle in the passing game. The team will still need Samuel healthy to maintain any hope of making the postseason.

Deebo Samuel is a Trey Lance believer.

The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver discussed the young quarterback with Tom Pelissero and Maurice Jones-Drew of NFL Network and said the improvement is noticeable as he gets more experience during training camp.

"He's getting better day by day," Samuel said. "It's his first year of really being the guy of the offense, so it's gonna take time."

San Francisco traded up to select Lance with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft, and he appeared in six games as a rookie with two starts. While he was inconsistent with a 57.7 percent completion mark, he had five touchdown passes to two interceptions and added 168 yards and a score on the ground.

Lance's ability to use his legs is one of the things that separates him from incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers have made it clear that they are looking toward the future and starting the second-year signal-caller.

As Samuel discussed, Lance's ability to live up to expectations could be the difference between a Super Bowl run and a disappointing campaign for San Francisco.

After all, he is surrounded by talent in Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and a strong rushing attack. There is also a formidable defense in place with players such as Nick Bosa and Fred Warner leading the way.

The team made the NFC Championship Game last season with Garoppolo under center as something of a game manager with 20 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions.

Lance can elevate the Niners' ceiling by being more of a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He'll need to continue working on his accuracy as he prepares for his first season as a starter, though.

To hear Samuel tell it, that improvement is happening on a daily basis.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who just inked a three-year extension worth up to $73.5 million, denied reports that his previous trade request was due to displeasure over the team using him as both a wideout and running back (wide back).

"That’s false," Samuel told reporters Tuesday.

"There's a lot of things that came out that I want to speak on, but at the end of the day, I wasn't allowed to. I mean, you can turn on the tape, go back to the Cowboys game. It kind of shows what kind of player I am. And also, I mean, you can go turn on the Pro Bowl tape and like, what I said about being a wide back, I don’t mind doing whatever it takes for this team to win."

Last April, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Samuel was not "comfortable ... with the way he is being used."

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network also reported on the Rich Eisen Show that Samuel was unhappy with his role.

"It sounds like there's multiple layers to this. ... But certainly one of them is Deebo Samuel wants to be a receiver and not a receiver/running back. His rushing attempts were significantly up last season from where they've been in the past. We all know that he's a really, really physical player, but there probably are some concerns here about longevity. The counterpoint to that, of course, is that part of the reason that Deebo Samuel is so valuable is because he's versatile. ... But in the big picture, it sounds like the role is part of the reason that Deebo wants to play someplace else, where he may just be able to be a true wide receiver and potentially tack on some years to his career."

Samuel had previously denied a rumor from ESPN's Adam Schefter that he wanted to be closer to South Carolina, where he was born, raised and went to college (USC).

Rapoport previously reported that money was not at the root of Samuel's trade request.

It's unclear what exactly led to the request, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin revealed on 95.7 The Game's Damon & Ratto it was legitimate and that Samuel told him the reason, which he would not divulge (h/t Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area).

"This is not a game. He really wanted to be moved. I had conversations with him, and I knew the [details] on why that came about. He shared that with me, and I won't violate and share that. But when he did share it, I felt it when he explained it to me. I felt it. So he wanted to be moved."

Regardless of why Samuel wanted out, it's a moot point now with the superstar now under contract through 2025.

Last season, Samuel earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors after amassing 1,770 yards and 14 touchdowns. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and rushed 59 times for 365 yards.

Samuel was the de facto No. 2 running back for the 49ers throughout the playoffs, to the point where he even had more carries (27) than catches (10). In three games, the three-year NFL veteran had 291 total yards and two scores.