WR Ricky Pearsall completes his comeback from the NFI list and makes his NFL debut in Week 7

With 1:32 left in the San Francisco 49ers' seventh period, the crowd at Levi's® Stadium was on its feet, cheering on rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall as he threw a six-yard pass from quarterback Brock Purdy. The roar was so loud it could be heard behind closed press windows, a fitting response to the remarkable comeback Pearsall made so early in his NFL career.

It's a first career catch that will be hard to forget.

“After that catch, my teammates called me names and said they were happy for me and proud of me,” Pearsall said. “That was the moment it started. The crowd immediately got a little louder. I just took the opportunity to be grateful for everything that led up to it and all the blessings that came with it.”

The 49ers 2024 NFL Draft pick was the victim of an armed robbery and was shot in the chest the weekend before the Labor Day holiday. His injury landed him on the reserve/non-injury list early in the year, which ultimately delayed his NFL debut until nearly midway through the season.

“The biggest hurdle for me was recovering from the wound,” Pearsall said. “Obviously there's been a lot of scar tissue buildup in that area… I'm working on that right now, making sure I get everything under control and get the scar tissue out. Once I started feeling better mobility and pain tolerance, I was on the right track to practice and train from then on.”

Pearsall finished his first outing with three catches for 21 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, he ended up playing 48 offensive snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs (76 percent of all offensive snaps), with the 49ers' top three wide receivers being Jauan Jennings (hip), Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness), and Brandon Aiyuk (knee), everyone had to sit out in the second half of the game.

“It meant everything,” Pearsall said. “Of course, all the adversity I’ve been through over the last few months. It was really good to go out with my boys again. I think that's what's refreshing for me at the end of the day. When the incident first happened, the first one. “What I was thinking about was the guys in that locker room, the coaches in the locker room, the entire staff.

“We celebrated this with him most of the week because it was great to have him back and he looked great in practice,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He wanted to relax a little bit (Sunday), it changed a little bit when Deebo went out and then it changed significantly when Aiyuk went out. He had to do more than we expected and I was proud of him. “It's great to have him back.

“Ricky’s return for his first game was great,” Purdy said. “I just see him out there again making cuts and plays, he’s a baller too. We’re really happy for him and his development and bringing him along.”

Pearsall's ability to beat man coverage, his great hands and his route running were just a few of the skills that distinguished him as a college prospect and can help bolster a 49ers wide receiver room beset with multiple injuries has to fight.

Shanahan confirmed Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and ACL on Monday, and the availability of Jennings and Samuel Sr. is still in question as longtime NFC rivals the Dallas Cowboys travel to Levi's® Stadium in Week 8. The team will now focus on Pearsall, including to take on larger roles in the future.

“For me it’s a lot bigger than football,” Pearsall said. “(Aiyuk) is going through something right now and (it's about) making sure I show him my love, send prayers his way and check on the guy. He's a really good buddy of mine. In that game he went down and I had to play more than expected than anyone really expected. I just try to make the most of my chances.