Deebo defends 49ers coach Shanahan against ‘hot seat’ notion originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Don’t even bring up the possibility of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan being fired around wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

Despite San Francisco’s 5-6 record, the six-year NFL veteran isn’t having that.

In the latest episode of his “Cleats and Convos” podcast with co-host Liv Moods, Samuel put the idea of Shanahan being on the “hot seat” to rest.

“I don’t think so,” Samuel told Moods. “Since I’ve been here, I don’t think we’ve had nothing but one losing season, and that was COVID [2020 NFL season].

“Other than that, you can’t show me a losing season that he’s had since I’ve been here. First year, Super Bowl; second year, COVID hit; year after that, NFC Championship; year after that, NFC Championship again; then last year, Super Bowl. Like, why are you saying he’s on the hot seat?”

Samuel’s take is indisputable.

San Francisco is 59-35 under Shanahan since the 49ers selected Samuel No. 36 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since then, deep playoff runs — and heartache — have become routine, and the 49ers’ current 5-6 record stands as an outlier.

And even though San Francisco is last in the NFC West, Samuel isn’t closing the door on the 2024 NFL season.

“We’re 5-6 right now, but I mean, we got six games ahead,” Samuel said. “At the end of the day, Kyle is one of the smartest and, you know, those player coaches people can ask for. I don’t get into ‘He’s on the hot seat,’ ‘He’s this,’ and ‘He’s that.’ You can’t show me a losing season he’s had since I’ve been in the league.

“I just look at it from me going in the building every day just seeing his approach to the game. We’re kind of behind the eight ball right now, but he doesn’t look at it that way. If he can start it all over again, this is where he’d want to be.”

Samuel is proud to play for Shanahan and trusts the offensive mastermind to continue navigating the 49ers at a high level amid what seems like never-ending injuries and inconsistency this season.

There’s a lot of San Francisco football left to be played, and Samuel, without hesitation, expects Shanahan to be part of the journey.