“My mind kept fading" - Deebo Samuel shares raw emotions after departure from San Francisco

The NFL was shaken up on Saturday when the San Francisco 49ers dealt All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in a blockbuster trade. Samuel spent his first six years in the NFL with San Francisco, playing a crucial role in the team's two trips to the Super Bowl.

Fast forward to Thursday, and Samuel penned an emotional farewell to the 49ers and their fans for The Players' Tribune. During his statement, Deebo Samuel touched on the rush of emotions after being dealt away from the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

"It's funny, a few days ago, when the trade happened, I was happy because this is something I wanted. But as the day went on, my mind just kept fading off to all these damn memories, man. The memories that I got with (Kyle Shannahan), with (John Lynch), with (Brock Purdy), with (Trent Williams), it all came rushing back."

Samuel continued and touched on his journey from South Carolina to the NFL.

"That's the only way I can describe it (as a fairytale). I've come a long way from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Young kids in the neighborhood running under the street lights, all of us with the same dream. 'One day I'mma be in the NFL. I'mma be the one to really do it.' "

Deebo Samuel dealt to Washington Commanders

Looking to his next chapter in the NFL, Deebo Samuel is set to join one of the NFL's top teams in the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are coming off an NFC Championship berth in just quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie season.

Looking to stay ahead of schedule, an ambitious Washington team sought additional weapons for Daniels, bringing in Samuel with a low-risk price tag. The Commanders gave up just a fifth-round pick for the veteran wideout, immediately bolstering their receiving corps alongside Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown.

Washington was expected to be one of the busiest teams in the NFL this offseason with the most cap space of any team in the league, and is making true on such expectations already. The Commanders have also been linked to other NFL stars on the trade block, including disgruntled Cleveland Browns DPOY, Myles Garrett.

Samuel, who dealt with nagging injuries throughout the 2024 season, caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns, adding 136 rushing yards and a fourth touchdown on the ground.