As the San Francisco 49ers prep for their Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Kyle Shanahan provided a few updates on his team. One of the new bits of information involved rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The 2024 first-round pick is recovering from a recent gunshot wound he sustained during an attempted robbery and is currently on non-football injury (NFI) list. Shanahan discussed his condition with the media after Friday’s practice.
“I was just talking to him yesterday,” Shanahan stated post-practice. “He just started working out again. I think it was a weight room workout yesterday. But yeah, he’s back to conditioning, getting back in football shape, and getting back to [being] healthy.”
With weapons like wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, alongside tight end George Kittle, the 49ers’ passing attack is one of the best in the NFL. Quarterback Brock Purdy is continuing to grow in Shanahan’s attack, and having young targets like Pearsall and fellow rookie Jacob Cowing should only help in the long term. The focus for the former Florida Gator is to get back into football shape. From there, hopefully he’ll be able to contribute to some extent during his rookie campaign.
Ricky Pearsall looks to rebound with strong 49ers rookie season
The 49ers are regarded as one of, if not the best, teams in the NFC. They are coming off their second Super Bowl defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Shanahan/ John Lynch era. If the team hopes to get over that hump, then it would need contributions from Pearsall, Cowing and other new additions. They’ve also locked up Aiyuk and offensive tackle Trent Williams to long-term deals, so the distractions that plagued the team during training camp and the preseason should now be gone.
They started off strong with a win over the visiting New York Jets on Monday Night Football. Now heading into the Vikings matchup, they are a bit banged up. Star running back Christian McCaffrey will again miss the game, and it will be up to Purdy and the passing attack to make up that loss. Backup Jordan Mason had a strong Week 1 and will need to continue that performance versus Minnesota. Shanahan further discussed Pearsall’s potential return.
“It’s week to week, so I don’t really know when, but he’s traveling with us today, and it’s been a good step this week getting him back into workouts in the weight room,” Shanahan said during Friday’s media session.
With Pearsall now on the mend, hopefully he can return as soon as he’s eligible. Even with McCaffrey at full strength as well, San Francisco has a tough road ahead. Will the finally capture that elusive Lombardi Trophy under the leadership of Shanahan and Lynch? As the season progresses, we will see soon enough.
