49ers receiver Deebo Samuel is good to go for the NFC Championship. And he might be doing more than playing his normal position.
On Friday, coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Samuel might return kickoffs.
Before acknowledging that Samuel “might” return kicks, Shanahan said of the topic, “I don’t know. We haven’t thought about that yet.”
Shanahan said Deebo will have no sort of limitation, and that he risks no further damage to his shoulder if he plays.
But Shanahan doesn’t know much beyond that. Asked whether Samuel has a bruised shoulder, Shanahan said, “I don’t know. I don’t ask questions like that.”
Aren’t you curious?
“Not at all,” Shanahan said. “Then I’d have to be lying now. It’s real easy for me when I don’t know.”
What we do know is that Samuel will be playing. And that he might be returning kickoffs. If there are any kickoffs that potentially will be returned.
This season, Samuel has six kick returns for 154 yards. He returned three kicks for 75 yards in 2021, and none in 2022.
The Lions had 27 opponent kickoff returns in 2023, on 93 kickoffs.