That 80-yard touchdown from Deebo Samuel in the 49ers’ 36-30 Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals? Turns out, it was literally a “screw it play” call, straight from head coach Kyle Shanahan himself. Shanahan spilled the beans on KNBR’s Dirty Work podcast, giving us the inside scoop on one of the wildest touchdowns you’ll see this season.
Shanahan Was Pissed, And So Was the Play Call
You gotta love a coach who gets real. Shanahan admitted he was “really pissed” about a false start on the first play of the game’s opening drive. With the team backed up on third and 13, facing a potential three-and-out, he felt the pressure. Normally, that’s a “surrender down” for a screen or draw, but Shanahan wasn’t having it. “I didn’t want to go three-and-out at all and that was the best chance to get one,” he explained. He called it an “impulsive thing” that just “ended up working out,” adding that you can’t pull that kind of trick every week. It was clearly a gut decision, not some master plan he’d been cooking up for the first third down of the game.
Barely Practiced, Pure Instinct: Samuel’s Stunner
The play itself was pure chaos, in the best way possible. Brock Purdy found Mike Evans, who was about to get wrapped up short of the sticks. But before he hit the ground, Evans pitched the ball back to Samuel. From there, it was all Deebo, who took off for the 80-yard score. The craziest part? Samuel himself confessed to David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone that they only “walked through that play like once this week.” Talk about trusting your instincts! Samuel said, “Once I seen Mike catch the ball and it was two guys on him, I was like, if I get around here, it ain’t gonna be nobody.” He then proved he still has the “speed that people don’t think I got” by outrunning Cardinals safety Budda Baker. The result was historic too: Samuel racked up 80 yards in the game without a single reception, setting an NFL record for most receiving yards with zero catches, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
With the 49ers sitting at a 3-0 record and their offense humming along at 32.7 points per game, ranking second in the league, you gotta wonder what other “screw it plays” Shanahan has up his sleeve. This team is finding ways to win, even if it’s on a whim.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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