How Deebo Samuel's Stepmother Shaped His Upbringing and Journey to the NFL

49ers' Deebo Samuel pens touching Mother's Day tribute article – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Deebo Samuel is the 2019 recruit of the NFL and plays as the wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. Besides, he was also selected for the Pro Bowl and received first-time All-Pro honors in 2021. The player gives all the credit to the folks in his life for all of his accomplishments.

I'm playing in Super Bowl but my stepmom saved my life - I would've never made it through college without her | The US Sun

Those special people are none other than his parents. Delve into the article to discover more about them and his family as a whole.

Meet Deebo Samuel’s Parents, Galen and Felicia

Deebo Samuel’s parents are Galen Samuel and Felicia Winn. His father, Galen, was born on February 5th, 1973, and as of 2024, he is 51 years old. Likewise, Deebo’s mom, Felicia celebrates her birthday on July 20.

Deebo Samuel's father — *Deebo and his father, Galen.*

Not many may know this, but he was raised by his stepmother, Precious Martin.

What Happened To Deebo’s Biological Mother?

When Samuel was still a child, his birth mother got into street life, due to which she couldn’t provide for her children and her husband. As a result, his father married another woman, Precious Martin, when he was just six/seven years old.

The new lady in his life then provided him with motherly love and support that he was missing out. She also became an important part of his life and filled the space of his mother soon.

Deebo Samuel and his mother — *Deebo with his biological mother, Felicia.*

At one point, Deebo stayed with his grandmother, Kathy Winn. But when she got sick around the time he was in the ninth grade, he started feeling helpless. He said he had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. But at that low point in his life, his stepmother was there for him. She took him in, and he moved into her house in Inman, South Carolina, along with his dad.

Remembering his stepmom’s greatness, Deebo told GQ,

Man, I’m gonna be honest: without her, I wouldn’t have made it to college. My grades weren’t the best, but she clamped down on me and forced me over the finish line. I really think she saved my life. S**t, she raised me.

Deebo’s Stepmother, Precious Martin

Precious was born in South Carolina on July 9, 1979. She completed high school at Dorman High School and got her MBA in Human Resources from Strayer University in 2014.

She has been the owner and operator of Precious Details Cleaning and Organizing since 2015. Before that, she worked as the sales and account manager at Profesional Staffing Solutions, LLC.

Deebo with his stepmother who raised him when his mother wasn't there — *Deebo with his stepmother who raised him when his mother wasn’t there*

Latrice has been married to Deebo’s father since the early 2000s. She was in a relationship before and has 4 children from her previous marriage.

Deebo Loves Both His Mothers Equally

Although his biological mother never provided him and his family the way she was supposed to, Deebo doesn’t resent her. He loves both of his mothers in the same manner, and they also get along well. He often posts his moms on his Facebook, expressing his love.Growing up in chaos and difficulties, Samuel never really had any choice, but he always wanted to change the condition of his family. Though times were hard for him, he promised himself to get his biological mom some help once he was capable.

So, when he was drafted into the NFL, the first thing he did was send his mother to rehab. He helped her become independent and even bought a house for her. At present, she works in a regular Golden Chicken Restaurant and has been clean for years.

Samuel’s Father Gave Him the Nickname ‘Deebo’

The NFL star got his nickname, Deebo, from a character played by Tiny Lister in the 1995 movie “Friday,” starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, and Bernie Mac.

As per Samuel, he got the name when he was young after picking up a bad habit of taking things. He also wreaked mayhem and bullied his friends and other stuff. He said;

My dad gave me the nickname. He used to say I liked to take things. It stuck ever since.

The movie came out a few months before the athlete was born. But since his father followed cult classics, he was aware of the movie. Deebo also mentioned that he has watched the movie “like 100 times.”

Deebo Is Not The Only Child Of His Parents

Besides the NFL star, his parents have another son, Tyquan Samuel whom they welcomed on August 22, 1991. The athlete grew up in the neighborhood of Spartanburg, South Carolina, along with his older brother.

Samuel considered his big bro his role model. He also mentioned that Tyquan was the one who taught him all about streets, school, and sports.

Tyquan always said that he was going to make his younger brother a player, no matter what. The wide receiver even remembers a day when Tyquan took him in the front yard of their grandmother’s house, and after putting on his pads, he knocked his head off hard.

Deebo Samuel and his brother Tyquan Samuel — *Deebo considers his brother, Tyquan Samuel a role model.*

Just like their mother, his older brother was also in the streets, frequently going to jail. Despite that, Samuel says that he is proud of his brother. He says that he wouldn’t be an athlete without him. He also says that the whole neighborhood would agree with him when he says that his brother is the best athlete they’ve ever seen.

Despite being involved in various activities in the streets, he never did such things when his baby bro was around. He often told his younger brother,”I’m your big brother but don’t be my follower.” Being thankful for Tyquan, Samuel has also bought a house for him.