49ers happy Ricky Pearsall around teammates ahead of season opener
SANTA CLARA — Ricky Pearsall laced up his black and white Nike cleats. He wore a gray 49ers T-shirt that matched his sweatpants. He flipped his gray cap backward. A football spun in his hands. He high-fived one teammate, then another.
Each movement, every sight, every breath is surely not taken for granted.
“It’s kind of been amazing just watching him,” said coach Kyle Shanahan, who spoke Thursday for the first time since Pearsall was shot in the chest Saturday by an attempted robber in San Francisco’s Union Square.
Pearsall watched Thursday’s practice like any kid wishing he could just play ball. Instead, he could only toss the ball in the air to himself, while showing no impairment from a bullet that, according to Shanahan, struck the rookie wide receiver just two inches below a chest tattoo of praying hands.
Pearsall has been a constant presence at 49ers headquarters since his one-night hospitalization. Rather than be a distraction ahead of Monday night’s season opener against the New York Jets, this year’s first-round draft pick is providing inspiration.
“Thank God he’s even alive with us today. It was an insane situaion, and I’m so happy he’s here around the building with us,” linebacker Fred Warner said.
Pearsall is not allowed to play in at least the first four games while on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List. However, in the immediate aftermath of being shot, Pearsall had other ideas.
“I still think I can play against the Jets,” Pearsall told Shanahan in a FaceTime call him from his hospital bed Saturday afternoon.
“I’m like, ‘Dude what are you talking about. There are other things (in life),'” Shanahan said. “When that adrenaline goes away, that (mental aspect) is a much bigger deal.”
Pearsall is walking around, attending meetings, and must wait a week before working up a sweat. Then he’ll ramp up his rehab to make his NFL debut as soon as next month.
Shanahan said he and the 49ers organization took about an hour to locate which hospital Pearsall was rushed to after the afternoon shooting. “By the time we got to him, it was good. He FaceTimed me and it was the first time I knew he was alright,” said Shanahan, who then relayed that positive prognosis to the rest of the 49ers as they arrived for a scheduled team party at the coach’s house.
Shanahan said he’s advised his team not to badger Pearsall in asking for details about the shooting, adding: “I told the team I don’t want to make him relive that 80 times. He knows how much everyone cares. He loves being around. It’s all up to him. Everyone is trying to give him space and let him work through that process. It’s a pretty big mental toll, too.”
TEAM CAPTAINS
Defensive end Nick Bosa half-jokingly called it “big-time news” that he and other 49ers captains will get reserved parking spots closer to the locker room.
Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner are the only defensive players who are captains, while the ball, er, the captain’s patch also got spread around to Brock Purdy, Kyle Juszczyk, Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams.
“Being a captain on a team like this with unbelievable players who’ve done great things in this league, it’s an honor and I want to uphold it,” said Bosa, who was a captain in 2022 but not last season after his holdout lasted into Week 1 of the season.
McCAFFREY STILL LIMITED
Running back Christian McCaffrey looked fine in practice but remains limited by not just a calf but an Achilles issue, which is not a new injury, Shanahan said; Thursday marked the first day since last season in which the 49ers must provide an official injury and participation report. McCaffrey participated in Tuesday’s light, one-hour practice for his first team work since Aug. 4.
Not practicing Thursday were defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle), both of whom ran on the side. Others limited: wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle), running back Isaac Guerendo (groin), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) and guard Aaron Banks (pinky).
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Brandon Allen beat out Josh Dobbs to serve as Brock Purdy’s immediate backup, at least for Monday’s opener, Shanahan announced. Allen did not play last season as the No. 3 quarterback behind Purdy and Sam Darnold, the latter of whom is now the Minnesota Vikings’ starter.
RODGERS ON 49ERS
As Aaron Rodgers prepares to start against the 49ers for the 15th time in his 20-year career, the Chico native and Cal product claims he no longer harbors a grudge over not being drafted No. 1 in 2005 by his childhood team.
“It’s all different people. I’ve outlasted a lot of people over there. A lot are still coaching around the league. It’s a great staff over there,” Rodgers told Jets’ reporters. “I’ve played against John Lynch, that’s how old I am. And obviously I’ve had battles against Kyle. And (defensive coordinator Nick) Sorensen, I think I’ve played against him too. There’s a lot of familiarity there.”
Actually, Rodgers was still backing up Brett Favre when the Packers went into Denver and beat Lynch’s Broncos in 2007. Sorensen indeed played against Rodgers in 2009, and it was Sorensen who made the tackle on the second-half kickoff for the Browns.
“Obviously it’s fun to go back to the Bay Area. But it really is just another game,” Rodgers added. “If this had happened first or second year as a starter, it’s a different energy when all the guys you feel passed on you, you have some bitterness you hold onto. I don’t have any of that anymore.”
Rodgers also harbors no ill will toward new 49ers pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who was the one who sacked Rodgers on the play he sustained a torn Achilles in the Jets’ opener last year against the Buffalo Bills.