WON Monthly Magazine March 2022

I know that Deebo Samuel’s role this year was a bit born out of necessity, but as you go into this offseason, do you see his role in 2022 being what it was at the end of 2021? That’s my main question and Kyle, I was just hoping that you could elaborate on how you were messing with DeMeco on the bus and the PA system?

Shanahan: “I was just trying to loosen people up. It was a pretty down crew, so I always like to embarrass people who’ve got some big things ahead of him. So I kept messing with him for resting that he’s got interviews coming, so he’s focused. But quickly, he didn’t mess with me back out loud, I just got a text that he declined it. So it was just real cool of him. And what was the other question?” 

Lynch: “Deebo’s role, will it be similar to what it was.”

Shanahan: “Oh, yeah, very similar. We have to be careful with that. Running back is different, but he’s also built like a running back and runs like a running back. And he just happens to do stuff at receiver also that is really good. If you look at his body, he looks more like a running back. But man, we never want to stop using him at receiver and just the threat that he can be a running back at any time is a huge advantage for your team. And it’s a huge advantage for Deebo too. It’s a way you can make sure that he gets touches and you can do that at receiver, but not like when you just hand the ball to a guy. So we always have to keep that threat, that’s what separates him. And Deebo knows that too. But these last few weeks, you don’t take anything to account. It’s one game or you go home. So Deebo knows that, I know that, so we’re doing what we can to win. And I also think we get some more backs too, you can balance that all out, but we all know how good Deebo is at it and the defense does too. And so knowing that he can be there at any time, just like knowing when a quarterback can be a threat to run at any time. All that stuff is unusual in how to treat personnel groupings and things like that. And that’s why that’s something I don’t see going away for him.”