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After a scary injury before the start of the season, San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is set to return to practice soon.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Pearsall will return to practice next week after being shot in the chest in August. Breer reported the news ahead of the Niners’ matchup with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime.
On Aug. 31, Pearsall was walking to his car after shopping in Union Square in San Francisco when the incident happened. The suspect attempted to rob Pearsall of a Rolex watch and other expensive jewelry with a firearm, which fired after Pearsall tried to disarm the suspect.
“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting this afternoon. He sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition,” the 49ers said in a statement in August. “We ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky and the entire Pearsall family.”
Pearsall was the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after recording 2,420 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns across five collegiate seasons—three with Arizona State and his final two at Florida.
While he has yet to play for San Francisco, the Niners are hoping he can be a positive addition to the struggling team.
The 49ers entered Thursday’s matchup with Seattle 2-3 on the year with their only wins coming against the New York Jets and New England Patriots. Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk finally found his groove last week, racking up 147 receiving yards against the Arizona Cardinals, but San Francisco’s receiving core has been mostly disappointing through five games.