Ricky Pearsall's 49ers Teammates Recall ‘Really Tough’ Moments After He Was Shot: ‘Thank God He’s Even Alive’

Mar. 15, 2025

Ricky Pearsall.Photo:Brooke Sutton/Getty

Brooke Sutton/Getty

AsRicky Pearsallcasually tossed a football up and down to himself on the sidelines, eyes kept being drawn to the San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiverRicky Pearsallat the team’s practice on Thursday, his first since the 23-year-old was shot in the chest just five days earlier.“Thank God that he’s even alive with us today,” Pearsall’s teammate Fred WarnertoldESPN. “That was an insane situation. So happy that he’s back here around the building with us.“Pearsall wasshot during an attempted robberylast Saturday, Aug. 31 in San Francisco’s Union Square.A 17-year-old suspect has been chargedwith three felonies in relation to the shooting, including attempted murder, according toUSA Today.The 49ers rookie receiverwas releasedfrom the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center the next day, his mother Erin Pearsall said in a social media post last Sunday. The bullet reportedly entered and exited Pearsall’s chest “about 2 inches” away from a tattoo Pearsall has on his right chest depicting a pair of praying hands, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told ESPN on Thursday.Ricky Pearsall.Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty"He’s as tough a person I know, just going through a situation like that,” Shanahan said. “We always felt this way watching him on the football field and things like that. But kind of to watch how he handled that situation and watch how he’s been every day since; it shows how special of a guy he is.“Shanahan said Saturday was “really tough” on him and the 49ers players as they worried for Pearsall’s life following reports that he was shot in the chest while shopping downtown.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“We just knew that he got shot. And that was all we knew,” Shanahan told reporters, according to ESPN. “And then it took us about an hour to figure out what the hospital was and things like that, because we just made a couple calls to people, so we had it from them. But none of us knew where he was or anything.“Ricky Pearsall.Kevin Sabitus/GettyShanahan said he then received a FaceTime from Pearsall, who reportedly told him, “I still think I could play against the Jets,” the coach recalled.“That was like the first time I knew he was all right,” Shanahan said. “It was really amazing. Because that hour when you hear about a shooting, we didn’t know where it was or anything, so you just assume the worst. Then to hear it was in the chest, you don’t think that usually goes that well. Then actually to talk to him like 15 minutes after that, and just talk to a guy that seems like he’s okay.“Pearsall will not be playing in San Francisco’s season opener on Monday night, but Shanahan and team general manager John Lynch both told ESPN they expect him to return to the field sometime this season and make his NFL debut with the defending NFC Champions.

AsRicky Pearsallcasually tossed a football up and down to himself on the sidelines, eyes kept being drawn to the San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiverRicky Pearsallat the team’s practice on Thursday, his first since the 23-year-old was shot in the chest just five days earlier.

“Thank God that he’s even alive with us today,” Pearsall’s teammate Fred WarnertoldESPN. “That was an insane situation. So happy that he’s back here around the building with us.”

Pearsall wasshot during an attempted robberylast Saturday, Aug. 31 in San Francisco’s Union Square.A 17-year-old suspect has been chargedwith three felonies in relation to the shooting, including attempted murder, according toUSA Today.

The 49ers rookie receiverwas releasedfrom the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center the next day, his mother Erin Pearsall said in a social media post last Sunday. The bullet reportedly entered and exited Pearsall’s chest “about 2 inches” away from a tattoo Pearsall has on his right chest depicting a pair of praying hands, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told ESPN on Thursday.

Ricky Pearsall.Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty

Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty

“He’s as tough a person I know, just going through a situation like that,” Shanahan said. “We always felt this way watching him on the football field and things like that. But kind of to watch how he handled that situation and watch how he’s been every day since; it shows how special of a guy he is.”

Shanahan said Saturday was “really tough” on him and the 49ers players as they worried for Pearsall’s life following reports that he was shot in the chest while shopping downtown.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“We just knew that he got shot. And that was all we knew,” Shanahan told reporters, according to ESPN. “And then it took us about an hour to figure out what the hospital was and things like that, because we just made a couple calls to people, so we had it from them. But none of us knew where he was or anything.”

Ricky Pearsall.Kevin Sabitus/Getty

Kevin Sabitus/Getty

Shanahan said he then received a FaceTime from Pearsall, who reportedly told him, “I still think I could play against the Jets,” the coach recalled.

“That was like the first time I knew he was all right,” Shanahan said. “It was really amazing. Because that hour when you hear about a shooting, we didn’t know where it was or anything, so you just assume the worst. Then to hear it was in the chest, you don’t think that usually goes that well. Then actually to talk to him like 15 minutes after that, and just talk to a guy that seems like he’s okay.”

Pearsall will not be playing in San Francisco’s season opener on Monday night, but Shanahan and team general manager John Lynch both told ESPN they expect him to return to the field sometime this season and make his NFL debut with the defending NFC Champions.

source: people.com