Ricky Pearsall returns and joins the board.
Just two months after being shot in the chest on the streets of San Francisco, the 49ers rookie receiver scored the first touchdown of his NFL career on Sunday.
The score gave the 49ers an early 7-0 lead against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pearsall was a first-round draft pick in April and showed off his speed to get into the end zone.
On a second-and-5 from San Francisco’s own 46-yard line, Brock Purdy threw a pass over the middle of the field to Pearsall. Pearsall caught the ball in a soft spot near the 30-yard line in the Tampa Bay zone and passed three Bucs defenders on his way to the end zone.
Antoine Winfield Jr. gave chase near the goal line, but was unable to stop Pearsall in front of the end zone.
The 49ers selected Pearsall with the 31st pick out of Florida State in April’s draft.
On September 1, Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted armed robbery near Union Square in San Francisco. He was in downtown San Francisco signing autographs with fans.
The bullet missed Pearsall’s vital organs, and he was released from the hospital the day after he was shot. Four days later, Pearsall showed up to 49ers practice.
Pearsall started the season on the reserve/non-football injury list and missed the first six games of the season. He returned to make his NFL debut in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs and entered Sunday with seven passes for 59 yards in two games.
This gave him his first NFL score. And he has the potential to be a difference-maker for a 49ers team that is in the thick of the NFC playoff race.
