Samuel's 80 Yards Without a Catch Sets NFL Mark as 49ers Down Cardinals 36-30
The short version
- Deebo Samuel scored on a first-quarter hook-and-ladder with Mike Evans as the 49ers beat the Cardinals 36-30 on Sept. 27.
- Samuel was credited with 80 receiving yards and no catch, an NFL record; the prior mark of 65 was set by Timmy Brown of the Eagles in 1961.
- Mike Evans, credited with the reception, later left the game with a rib injury.
- The 49ers improved to 3-0 and hold sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
- San Francisco has lost Ricky Pearsall for the season and Christian Kirk, Jake Tonges, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson since training camp; Denver is next.
Deebo Samuel gained 80 receiving yards on a hook-and-ladder without a catch, breaking an NFL mark that had stood since 1961, as San Francisco beat Arizona and moved to 3-0.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The touchdown Deebo Samuel Sr. scored in the first quarter on Sunday proved decisive in the San Francisco 49ers' 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. The Sept. 27 score did more than swing an NFC West matchup: it placed Samuel's name in the NFL record book under circumstances he is unlikely to celebrate.
The score came on a hook-and-ladder, with fellow wideout Mike Evans playing the first role. Evans secured the throw, then pitched the ball to Samuel, who handled the remaining distance and crossed the goal line. The game aired on FOX, and the 49ers circulated footage of the play through their official social media account.
Official statistics divided the play between the two men. The reception went to Evans alone, leaving Samuel without a catch, yet Samuel drew credit for 80 receiving yards on account of the ground he covered after taking the lateral. Evans did not finish the contest, departing later with a rib injury.
Those 80 yards carry Samuel past a standard that had gone unbroken for more than six decades. Never before had an NFL player posted more receiving yards in a game while failing to register a single catch. The previous best, 65, belonged to Timmy Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, who reached it in 1961.
Receiving yards without a reception is a quirk that appears in league history more often than one might guess, though the list of leaders leans heavily on older seasons. Among the 20 highest totals ever recorded, only three took place in this century, and Samuel's performance now outranks them all — along with every other entry in the category's history.
For Samuel, the trick-play touchdown stood as his only involvement in the passing game all afternoon. He filled other roles, carrying twice for 14 yards and bringing back four kickoffs on special teams, but his entire receiving line for the day rests on a play in which he never caught a pass.
The win ran San Francisco's record to 3-0 and left the club alone atop the NFC West. That fast start has arrived despite an injury toll that keeps landing hardest on the players responsible for catching passes.
Ricky Pearsall is already lost for the season. Since training camp began, the 49ers have also seen wide receivers Christian Kirk, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson plus tight end Jake Tonges go down, and the rib injury Evans sustained on Sunday made him the newest question mark.
A matchup with the Denver Broncos comes next on the schedule. Given how many of quarterback targets' have been sidelined, Samuel appears likely to receive ample opportunity to finally pair a reception — or several — with his record-setting yardage total.
