Deebo Samuel requested to leave the San Francisco 49ers, and his teammate, George Kittle, knows it will be a significant loss for the upcoming season.
The upcoming season for the San Francisco 49ers will definitely not be like the previous ones. Deebo Samuel has been one of the key figures despite some injuries, and his potential departure will be felt. George Kittle, who has shared the roster with the WR since 2019, left a strong message regarding the situation.
Kittle and Samuel have been teammates for several years, playing key roles in the Bay Area team’s offense. In a recent appearance on USA Today’s Sports Seriously, the TE was outspoken on Samuel’s potential departure: “You can’t really replace Deebo.”
“I think he’s one of the most unique players in the NFL because of what he can do. Well, one, he’s the greatest, best YAC guy besides myself — I’ll hype myself up, I’m pretty good at that, too. But he’s so good when he gets the ball in his hands. The fact that you can line him up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield and do all the fun stuff with him and he breaks tackles, he runs like a running back and he has the burst, he has the speed, he has the agility to get away from guys too, he’s just such a unique player.
“I don’t think you can really replace him. We’re just going to have to build our offense a little bit differently because we don’t have that available to us. But Deebo’s a hell of a football player. I’ve loved being his teammate, I’ve loved sharing the field with him, I’ve loved going to war with him. If that is what happens and he gets traded, I’ll be very sad. But at the same time, I’m always happy for guys to get opportunities and that’s all you can ask for in the NFL.“
Although his future remains uncertain, it is highly unlikely that Deebo Samuel will be seen wearing the San Francisco 49ers jersey in the short term.
George Kittle’s current situation
The 49ers find themselves in a delicate situation regarding two of their key players: Brock Purdy and George Kittle. Both players are looking to renew their contracts with the franchise, although their situations couldn’t be more different.
On one hand, the quarterback is looking to extend his relationship with the Bay Area, which could potentially make him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
On the other side, the tight end is approaching the last year of his contract, with his current salary cap hit exceeding $22 million. Once the 49ers extend his contract, his cap hit for 2025 will drop significantly, freeing up considerable cap space. This will give the 49ers the flexibility to either re-sign key players or bring in new talent.
York aims to keep Purdy for the long term
Brock Purdy’s situation with the 49ers is still unresolved, although all signs from both sides suggest that the talented quarterback will renew his contract, with the goal of reaching the Super Bowl once again.
49ers Exploring 10% Sale, Discuss Stake in Rangers FC
The San Francisco 49ers could be the next team to strike gold from private equity’s rush into the NFL. The team is exploring selling a roughly 10% stake, according to someone with direct knowledge of the details.
The 49ers are valued at $6.86 billion in Sportico’s most recent rankings, good for fifth in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles currently own the record for highest valuation in an American pro team transaction after selling 8% of itself at a $8.3 billion mark in December. The NFL opened its doors to club-level investments from private equity firms for the first time last year, sparking several transactions. A slice of the New York Giants is also on the market now.
At the same time, San Francisco’s business arm, 49ers Enterprises, is seeking a control stake in Scottish soccer club Rangers FC, a person familiar with the matter told Sportico. This isn’t 49ers Enterprises’ first foray into soccer; the business also owns Leeds United, which plays in the English Championship, the division below the Premier League.
A 49ers’ spokesperson declined to comment on the potential transactions. Bloomberg first reported the 49ers’ sale plans.
Much like the Miami Dolphins, who sold a 10% stake to Ares at an $8.1 billion valuation last year, the 49ers umbrella company controls more than a football team. It has an ownership stake in sports agency Elevate. While it doesn’t own Levi’s Stadium, where the 49ers play their home games, the franchise will help host the 2026 Super Bowl and multiple World Cup matches in 2026. Ahead of time, the 49ers announced $200 million in venue renovations.
Then there are its other football holdings. While Leeds United fights to return to the Premier League—it’s currently first in the Championship—Rangers have been the winningest club in Scotland, with 55 titles in what is now the Scottish Premiership. Rangers have also appeared in UEFA’s Champions League or Europa Leagues competitions every year since 2018.
The team generated £88.3 million (~$111 million) in revenue during the 2023-24 year, though its operating losses jumped to £13.3 million, from £1.1 million the year prior, in large part due to fluctuations in player movement. That revenue figure would put it in the upper echelon of Major League Soccer teams but below all the teams in England’s Premier League.
The Glasgow side has only bested crosstown rival Celtic for the league title once since 2011. Ten parties owned at least 4% of Rangers FC, as of 2023, with major shareholder Dave King recently advocating for £50m of new investment to help the club remain competitive.
The Glasgow-based Daily Record first reported on the talks with Leeds United chairman and 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe along with additional potential American investors, which began late last year.
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