'Man, he loves football. You can feel it': How Deebo became an instant hit in D.C.

ASHBURN, Va. -- During a timeout earlier the Washington Commanders' last play from scrimmage Sunday, backmost Jayden Daniels and receiver Deebo Samuel were seen connected camera passing the clip by rehearsing their touchdown dance.

About a infinitesimal later, they were performing their skit successful the extremity portion aft Daniels connected with Samuel connected a fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard enactment successful Washington's 27-10 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Chargers.

"I've ne'er done that before," Samuel said. "He sent maine a TikTok earlier that week and was like, 'Yo, we've got to deed this if 1 of america scores.' We knew the playcall and figured it would beryllium open, truthful we made definite we had it right, and helium conscionable threw a dot to the backmost of the extremity zone."

That infinitesimal highlights the beardown transportation Samuel and Daniels person developed. And it's 1 crushed wherefore Samuel is disconnected to specified a large commencement successful his archetypal play with Washington pursuing an offseason commercialized from San Francisco.

"I deliberation the caller scenery, caller team, caller atmosphere, large quarterback, large coaches and the vigor astir the team. It feels similar location each implicit again for sure," said Samuel, who is successful the last twelvemonth of his contract.

Samuel, who was exchanged for a 2025 fifth-round pick, leads the Commanders (3-2) with 30 receptions, 300 yards and 3 touchdowns heading into Monday night's crippled against the Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC). No different Commander has much than 14 receptions oregon 149 yards. He has besides rushed 7 times for 46 yards.

Samuel's commencement is why, during grooming camp, helium confidently proclaimed "I've inactive got a batch successful the tank" aft having 1 of his worst seasons successful 2024.

Samuel has done this, also, without chap receivers Terry McLaurin for the past 2 games, and Noah Brown for the past three. Brown, who had been retired with a groin injury, has practiced afloat this week; McLaurin has not practiced since injuring his close quad successful Week 3.

Samuel is besides averaging 36.8 yards connected six footwear returns, though with McLaurin and Brown sidelined helium hasn't returned kicks since Week 3.

It helps that Samuel is versatile, conscionable arsenic helium was successful San Francisco for six seasons. There are immoderate differences, though: In Washington, helium has tally much routes retired of the slot (72) than extracurricular (35). With the 49ers past year, helium ran 118 routes retired of the slot and 223 outside. He's besides averaging conscionable 1.4 carries per game, which would beryllium the fewest since his rookie play of 2019.

But the extremity effect is the same: Lining up successful galore spots has helped him enactment productive erstwhile others are out.

"Everything helium did successful San [Francisco], he's doing that here," Daniels said. "So, we find ways to conscionable to get him the shot and fto him marque plays."

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury says Samuel's versatility helps erstwhile calling plays.

"They cognize we're going to effort to get him touches," Kingsbury said, "but helium tin play outside, helium tin play inside, helium tin play moving back, helium tin bash it benignant of all. And I deliberation that allows maine arsenic a playcaller and america arsenic an violative unit to beryllium originative and however we get him the shot and proceed to effort and find ways to bash that."

Samuel has a people complaint of 30.2% this play -- the highest of his vocation and 5th among receivers who person tally astatine slightest 100 routes. Last twelvemonth it was 21.3%; his vocation champion was 26.3% successful 2021 erstwhile helium besides finished with a career-best 1,405 yards receiving.

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