It was a sight the Faithful had seen many times before: WR Deebo Samuel Sr. in the end zone, ball in hand, celebrating in red and gold.
But this time, Samuel celebrated his first touchdown of the 2026 season by keeping a promise to his biggest fan.
The eight-year NFL veteran was drafted by the 49ers in 2019 and quickly became one of the team's most dynamic all-purpose offensive players. Samuel found the end zone 42 times over six seasons with San Francisco before spending the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders, splitting those touchdowns almost evenly between rushing and receiving.
His 43rd touchdown for the 49ers came this past week, in the fourth quarter of the team's 27-7 Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams, when QB Brock Purdy connected with Samuel for a 15-yard touchdown. The touchdown marked the 49th of Samuel's NFL career.
But this celebration was different.
After catching the pass, Samuel tossed the football into the Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd before breaking into a Spider-Man celebration.
He wasn't just celebrating a touchdown. He was keeping a promise to his son.
"My son called me and said, 'Daddy, do the Spider-Man when you score,'" Samuel told WR Demarcus Robinson while laughing on the bench after the touchdown.
Promise kept.
After the game, Samuel posted a video on his Instagram page of his son reenacting the play.
With a stuffed football in hand, Deebo Samuel Jr. spun around, ran forward, spiked the ball, and did the Spider-Man celebration, mimicking exactly what he had watched his dad do in front of nearly 100,000 fans in Melbourne.
It was a reminder of exactly who Samuel was celebrating for.
"Who I Do It For," Samuel wrote in the caption.
The moment was big. It was Samuel's first game back with San Francisco. It was the first NFL game played in Australia. It was a nationally televised game against a division rival.
But Samuel is reminded there is never a moment too big to keep a promise to his son, or a stage too big to celebrate with the people who matter most.
