49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall shot in attempted robbery in San Francisco

Posted by Admin September 1, 2024 NFL

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San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot Saturday afternoon in an attempted robbery in Union Square, San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s office confirmed.

Pearsall and the suspect, who is in custody with charges pending, were injured in a physical altercation that succeeded the attempted robbery, San Francisco police said. Both were taken to San Francisco General Hospital.

The 49ers confirmed that Pearsall had sustained “a bullet wound to the chest” and was in stable condition.

The 49ers drafted Pearsall with the 31st overall pick in the first round of April’s NFL draft. Pearsall excelled at the University of Florida last season, catching 65 passes for 965 yards and four touchdowns. In 2022, he transferred to Florida from Arizona State, where he played from 2019-21.

Pearsall missed three weeks of practice in August with a subluxation of his left shoulder, but he returned to action on Monday.

Though Pearsall’s selection by a team that already boasts star targets in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel surprised many, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said the team saw a receiver who could aid the offense in both the short and long term.

“He just plays the position really well,” Shanahan said in May. “Whether he was outside, inside, either receiver, all three of the positions, he can separate down the field, he can separate underneath. He’s got really good hands, extremely smart, very well-developed. … He can fit in whatever role based off the other guys.”

Contributing: Casey Moore