In a recent interview with CBS Sports Radio host Zach Gelb, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel was pressed regarding comments he made about the Philadelphia Eagles last season. When the 49ers were eliminated by the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, Samuel attributed the defeat to injuries and affirmed that if the team had not lost its rookie quarterback, Brock Purdy, the team would have won the game.
Gelb, who attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Penn. and interned at 94 WIP, asked Samuel to reflect on his comments. After Samuel neglected to answer the question and several related follow-up questions, he abruptly ended the conversation. Upon a few seconds of silence, a public relations representative was on the line saying that Samuel was no longer available for the interview, espousing Gelb to lambast him on the air. Similarly enough, the crew on the morning drive show at 94 WIP declared Samuel a loser and applauded Gelb for his professionalism.
“Deebo Samuel did one of the worst things you can do,” show co-host Joe DeCamara said. “It’s not a crime – he didn’t commit a crime – but from a P.R. standpoint, he did one of those things that you never have the high ground on which was hang up in an interview…. Credit to Zach – he’s pressing Deebo Samuel about the Eagles thing, and Deebo does the ‘run and hide’ thing.”
After playing the audio for listeners to hear, several show contributors concurred with DeCamara’s initial assessment and referred to him as a “loser.” DeCamara then explained how the loss could be blamed on 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan since he decided to have a tight end block Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick. The indignation and exasperation, according to DeCamara, was misplaced – and unfortunately for Gelb, he had to bear the brunt of it through one simple action with the potential to lead to “sports hate.”
“That’s the way the cookie crumbles; fricking deal with it,” DeCamara stated. “If you want to be mad at anybody, Deebo Samuel, don’t be mad at Eagles fans [and] don’t be mad at the guy asking reasonable questions.”
The 49ers are scheduled to take on the Eagles in Philadelphia during Week 13 in a rematch televised on FOX, although other broadcast properties will have the power to flex the game should they choose. As a result, show co-host Jon Ritchie believes this occurrence, filled with deliberate evasion, only aggravated the situation and that nothing good will come of it.
“This will be played up and this will be picked at,” Ritchie said. “….Deebo Samuel is going to be a lot sicker of Eagles fans once the season starts because this will continue to build.”
