Ricky Pearsall hires 49ers Jets, week after being shot

Ricky Pearsall hires 49ers Jets, week after being shot

Just over a week after 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall was shot during an attempted robbery, he walked into Levi’s Stadium in preparation for the season opener against the Jets.

Pearsall was not scheduled to play on Monday night but wanted to make sure he was in the stadium to support his team.

“We still have to get through it even if we don’t play. It’s whatever,” Pearsall said in a video the 49ers posted before the opener.

Pearsall, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Monday, appeared to be in good spirits as he entered the stadium wearing a denim shirt and trousers with holes in them.

While he wouldn’t make his NFL debut, it was a positive sign that the rookie receiver was doing so well after the terrifying incident that occurred on August 31.

A teenager tried to rob Pearsall for his Rolex, but the football player resisted and was shot in the chest.

The 17-year-old suspect in the failed robbery was brought before the court last week and is accused of multiple crimes, including attempted murder.


49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall runs during an NFL football training camp in Santa Clara, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall runs during an NFL football training camp in Santa Clara, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2024. AP

Pearsall was placed on the injured list outside football last week and will be out for at least four games at the start of the 2024 season.

The 49ers are confident Pearsall will play this season. General manager John Lynch told KNBR last week that he would “absolutely” play for the Niners.

“He’s going to play this year. We’ll give him time, when it’s right for him physically, mentally and emotionally. But I can tell you he’s doing very well,” he said.


49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital on Sunday, September 1, after being injured in a shooting the day before
49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital on Sunday, September 1, after being injured in a shooting the day before. Diana Luna via Storyful

The 49ers have not yet given an official timeline for his return, but the window in which he would be eligible would put it as early as Week 5, when the Niners host the Cardinals on Oct. 6.