At first, it looked like a regular training camp meet-and-greet. But what happened next left everyone — including players — in tears.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel, known for his toughness on the field, showed a very different side when he met 15-year-old Luca, a young fan who recently lost his father — a lifelong 49ers supporter — in a car accident.
The boy arrived wearing his late father’s old, faded jersey. He waited hours just for a glimpse of the team. But Deebo did more than sign an autograph.
He walked over, hugged the teen, and pulled a game-worn jersey from his equipment bag — the same number Luca’s father wore in high school — and handed it to him.
“Your dad’s legacy is safe with me,” Deebo said. “Now it’s with you.”
Players stopped warm-ups. Fans cried. One assistant coach said,
“You can’t coach this kind of heart. That’s just who Deebo is.”
The team later announced they would fly Luca and his family out for a home game this fall — as guests of Deebo himself.
In a league of contracts and competition, sometimes the biggest win is human connection.
