Deebo Samuel makes NFL history without making a single reception

Deebo Samuel found a rather unusual way to make NFL history. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver finished the game with zero receptions, 80 passing yards, and a touchdown—a stat line never before seen in the league.

The story behind this performance is unusual, to say the least. A player can accumulate passing yards and score a touchdown in a single drive without officially catching a pass—particularly when a teammate hands him the ball after a catch.

That's exactly what happened during the 49ers' first offensive possession.

Brock Purdy threw a short pass to Mike Evans. After catching the ball, Evans threw a lateral pass to Samuel while near San Francisco's 20-yard line.

The wide receiver then completely shook off the opposing defense as he ran up the left sideline before crossing into the end zone.

A Record Set by a Lateral

Since Samuel received the ball on a lateral pass, he was not credited with a reception. However, he was credited with the 80 yards gained from the spot where he recovered the ball, as well as the touchdown.

Players had previously managed to gain yards and score a touchdown on a reception without recording an official reception. However, Samuel's 80 yards set a new NFL record for a player without a reception in a game.

The previous record was held by Timmy Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1961, the running back had accumulated 65 yards on passing plays without recording a single reception in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Samuel didn't stop at that spectacular sequence. He also carried the ball twice for 14 yards.

As if that weren't enough, the receiver ultimately recovered a punt by the Arizona Cardinals with just 33 seconds left in the game, allowing the 49ers to secure their victory.

In short, Samuel found just about every possible way to contribute on offense without recording a single reception.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.