It was a brutal Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers, and it ended with one of their leaders making a rare decision to stay silent. Following a humiliating 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, Deebo Samuel Sr. declined to speak with reporters, breaking the NFL's media policy that requires players to address the press after games.
Videos by FanBuzz
Without quarterback Brock Purdy and defensive star Nick Bosa, the 49ers looked lost. Jordan Love and the Packers controlled every aspect of the game, handing San Francisco its worst offensive outing of the season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't lean on the absence of key players as an excuse, but it was clear their impact was missed.
Normally, Samuel is the kind of player who faces the music, a team captain who stands in front of cameras and addresses what went wrong. Even in the face of a 28-point defeat, fans often look to leaders like him to offer perspective or accountability, no matter how painful the outcome. But Sunday was different.
Samuel, like the rest of the Niners, had no answers for what unfolded over three hours in Green Bay. And instead of delivering the usual postgame clichés or accepting blame on behalf of the team, he opted for silence.
For a team that entered the season as defending NFC champions, now sitting at fourth in the NFC West, this loss feels particularly ominous. Samuel's silence only added to the frustration of a fan base searching for hope in what's been a surprisingly uneven season.
While silence may say plenty, Samuel's decision not to speak raises questions about where this 49ers squad goes from here. With Purdy and Bosa sidelined, the leadership burden grows heavier—and Sunday showed how much this team is struggling to carry it.
