SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called a sideline spat involving star receiver Deebo Samuel and two teammates an “overreaction” and said the team has put it to rest.
The moment in question came late in San Francisco's 23-20 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday after kicker Jake Moody missed his third field goal of the game.
TV cameras caught Samuel exchanging words and shoving long snapper Taybor Pepper in the throat when the frustrated wide receiver approached Moody on the sideline. Samuel also glanced the side of Moody's helmet with his follow-through.
“I didn’t think it was too big of a deal,” Shanahan said Monday. “But after getting home and seeing it all on ‘SportsCenter’ and everything and all that stuff, I wanted to make sure I did. Talked to the guys about it, talked to a number of guys on the team. We squashed it and we’re good.”
Samuel said after the game that his actions were out of character and he let his emotions get away. Pepper said Samuel had told Moody to “lock in” after the miss but Pepper wanted to protect his kicker.
Moody said it was just something that happened in the “heat of the moment” and he didn't need an apology.
Shanahan essentially agreed with the sentiment, saying he didn't like the physical contact between Samuel and his teammates but said Samuel had no ill intentions.
“I like Pep’s intentions on it, he’s got his kicker’s back,” Shanahan said. “But I think he kind of interpreted wrong what Deebo was doing to him and overreacted a little bit. Deebo didn’t like that and got him out of his face, and that’s really about where it ended.”
Moody recovered from his three misses to make the game-winning kick from 44 yards out on the final play.
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Josh Dubow, The Associated Press
