49ers’ Ricky Pearsall Placed on Reserve/NFI List After Being Shot; WR to Miss 4 Games
Featured Columnist IVSeptember 2, 2024
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers will be without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall for at least the first four games of the 2024 season as he recovers from being shot on Saturday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that San Francisco placed the rookie on the reserve/non-football injury list, which means he cannot play in the first four games.
This comes after the team announced Sunday that he was released from the hospital:
San Francisco 49ers @49ers
An update on Ricky Pearsall. pic.twitter.com/aoF2s9Ztcm
The incident happened Saturday, and the San Francisco Police Department released the following statement (h/t Sean Cunningham of KTXL): “49ers Ricky Pearsall was shot through the chest in a robbery attempt over a Rolex. He was headed to a signing event on Geary & Market. There was a struggle for the gun. Both Ricky & the suspect were shot. Both parties stable at SF General Hospital.”
The team announced Saturday that “he sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition.”
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital upgraded him to “fair condition” on Sunday prior to his release, while Schefter and The Athletic’s David Lombardi shared an update from Pearsall’s mother, Erin:
David Lombardi @LombardiHimself
Ricky Pearsall’s mom, Erin, posted on Facebook that the bullet entered Pearsall’s chest and exited his back without hitting any vital organs pic.twitter.com/YXKUY4m8I3
San Francisco selected Pearsall out of Florida in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft at No. 31 overall, which was particularly notable given the trade rumors at the time regarding wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
While both Samuel and Aiyuk are still with the team after the latter signed a long-term deal this offseason, Pearsall still figures to work his way into the rotation at some point after posting 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns in his final collegiate season with the Gators.
He missed time this offseason with a hamstring injury he suffered while working out away from the 49ers, but the team activated him from the non-football injury list on July 29 in a move that seemed to clear the way for his return.
Yet he will now be out for at least the first four games, which will be against the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.
