Deebo Samuel will play for a team that is not the San Francisco 49ers this weekend.
No, he hasn't been traded.
But in the wake of his recent trade demand, and as the NFL draft is taking place, Samuel will be playing in a celebrity flag football game for Fan Controlled Football, a professional indoor league featuring Terrell Owens and Johnny Manziel where fans call their team's offensive plays.
The 26-year-old All-Pro wide receiver's participation in the game comes amid trade speculation after Samuel told ESPN's Jeff Darlington last week that he asked the 49ers to deal him.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Samuel is coming off a breakout season in which he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns and also carried the ball 59 times for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. Reports have suggested that Samuel's displeasure is related more to his usage in the 49ers' offense than a potential contract extension.
The chatter led to Samuel posting a cryptic tweet on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, 49ers general manager John Lynch reiterated that his preference would be to keep Samuel.
“I can't ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo," Lynch said.
Sports
While the 49ers are drafting on Saturday, Samuel will be stepping onto the field at Pullman Yards in Atlanta at 2:30 p.m. PT alongside other current and former NFL stars, including Cam Newton, Tyreek Hill, Von Miller, DeAndre Hopkins, Chad Ochocinco and many more.
Fan Controlled Football, a 7-on-7 league played on a 50-yard field, allows fans to vote on each offensive play to be called via the FCF app, with the play that receives the most votes being relayed to the quarterback on the field.
Owens made his debut in the league on April 16, catching a touchdown pass.
Other former and current NFL players associated with the league include team owners Marshawn Lynch, Austin Ekeler, Richard Sherman, Dalvin Cook and Tiki and Ronde Barber.
Here is the full list of NFL players scheduled to participate in Saturday's celebrity game, which will be hosted by hip-hop artist Quavo, who owns one of the FCF teams:
Bradley Chubb – Denver Broncos
D.J. Chark – Detroit Lions
Mecole Hardman – Kansas City Chiefs
Tyreek Hill – Miami Dolphins
DeAndre Hopkins – Arizona Cardinals
Marlon Humphrey – Baltimore Ravens
Derwin James – Los Angeles Chargers
Richard LeCounte – Cleveland Browns
Willie McGinest – Former NFL Linebacker
Xavier McKinney – New York Giants
Von Miller – Buffalo Bills
Cam Newton – Free Agent NFL Quarterback
Chad Ochocinco – Former NFL Wide Receiver
Daron Payne – Washington Commanders
Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons
Deebo Samuel – San Francisco 49ers
Patrick Surtain II – Denver Broncos
D’Andre Swift – Detroit Lions
Jameis Winston – New Orleans Saints
Watch Fan Controlled Football every Saturday on NBCLX over the air, on cable, at LX.com and on your favorite streaming platform.
