Former Florida WR Ricky Pearsall receives promising update ahead of NFL season opener
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Former Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is trending in the right direction after a traumatizing shooting that left the NFL rookie hospitalized. After being discharged from the hospital, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan updated Pearsall’s status at a Thursday press conference.
While it’s clear Pearsall will not be lining up with the team in the NFL’s Week 1 action, Shanahan said the young player has been around the team throughout this week and attending team meetings. Pearsall will go “a week or so” without working up a sweat due to his recovery, but Shanahan said the rehab process will begin after that time period as Pearsall progresses toward a return.
“It’s kind of been amazing just being able to watch him… For him to be able to walk around and stuff with that happening. Talking to people at the ER and hearing them say out of 100 people, 2 people survive that,” said Shanahan. “To see him the next day and just he’s able to walk, he’s coming to meetings and do all that.”
Shanahan also declared Pearsall one of the toughest individuals he has been around after watching the former Gator handle this setback. As for the rest of the 49ers, Shanahan made it clear it’s good for Pearsall to be around the team and vice versa, but the coach is cautioning Pearsall’s teammates to let the rookie handle that part of the journey at his own pace.
“He knows how much everyone cares about him,” Shanahan declared. “He loves being around (the team), it’s all up to him with that stuff, but everyone’s trying to give him space in that way and just let him work through that process because the physical thing is one thing, but it’s a pretty big mental toll on someone, too.”
Pearsall was selected in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft after 5 college seasons, including the last 2 with the Gators. He finished his time at Florida with 98 catches for 1,626 yards and 9 touchdowns and also scored 3 rushing touchdowns.
It is unfortunate Pearsall’s rookie season has been delayed, but he continues to handle the setback as well as possible. Hopefully, his rehab and return to the field goes smoothly when the time comes.
Hear from Kyle Shanahan as he previews the team’s Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets. https://t.co/c3tWYt4OEi
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 5, 2024
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
