Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall delivered his best performance as a pro on Monday night, racking up 141 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions against the Detroit Lions. The impressive showing offered a glimpse of why the San Francisco 49ers selected Pearsall in the first round of April's draft.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the significance of Pearsall's breakout game. The wideout far surpassed his previous best outing—a 73-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. More importantly, Shanahan highlighted Pearsall's ability to seize his opportunities.
"When the ball came his way, he did a good job, made some good catches, had some big plays," Shanahan said. "And it doesn't always work that way for wideouts, but when it came his way, he did a real good job, beat man coverage well, and caught the ball real well, too."
In addition to his touchdown reception, Pearsall made a spectacular first-quarter grab that energized the Levi's Stadium crowd and demonstrated his big-play potential.
What a catch by #49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall!#DETvsSF #FTTB
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) December 31, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ksBWDcg8Ao
Although the game's outcome wasn't what the 49ers hoped, Pearsall earned significant praise from his teammates for his standout performance.
"We've all seen that in Ricky since he's been here, the way he runs routes, and he's explosive," quarterback Brock Purdy said. "And, for all of us, it's like, we just need to get him in some really good situations and get him the ball because he's a playmaker.
"And so, tonight, to be able to do that for him, I'm really, really happy for him. I know that that'll be good for us moving forward, just our chemistry. So, more than anything, really happy for him, and he deserves it, and he's going to continue to do that kind of stuff for us."
Pearsall shared that his juggling sideline catch didn't come as a surprise to him.
"Those are the catches I'm supposed to make," the receiver said after the game. "When Brock throws the ball in my way, I've got to make the plays and make the most out of every opportunity I can. So, no surprise."
Pearsall added, "That's what they brought me here to do, so I'm going to continue to do that. And for me, like I said earlier, it's no surprise for me and myself. I've got all the confidence in the world in myself."
Purdy revealed that he and Pearsall have put in extra work since the rookie returned from the non-football injury list. Pearsall missed the first six games of the season due to a gunshot wound to the chest, but Purdy commended the young receiver's dedication to improving.
"I'm really excited to have him and to continue to work with him," Purdy added.
It's Brock Purdy to rookie Ricky Pearsall for a TD on the opening drive, giving the #49ers a 7-0 early lead!#DETvsSF #FTTB
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) December 31, 2024
Although the standout performance felt great, Pearsall admitted he would have preferred to walk away with a win.
"It felt good to go out there and make some plays, but obviously, being a competitor, I want to go out there and come out with a W," Pearsall admitted. "So, it wasn't as much fun as I thought it was going to be."
Tight end George Kittle wasn't surprised by Pearsall's performance, as the rookie had already displayed his potential during practices.
"Those are the games that I've always expected him to have, just watching him practice in OTAs (organized team activities)," Kittle said. "Every day, he went off for like 100-plus yards. And just to get that game under his belt, I think, will just like raise his confidence a ton, because it's hard to go out there and just get not a lot of catches, not open a lot.
"Sometimes, the ball and the game just doesn't go your way. And for him to go out there and do that, just stack up a bunch of catches, run really efficiently, get downhill, he did all the things that we needed him to do. I think that's just going to raise his confidence a bunch, and just a great step forward in his early young career."
Even defensive standout Fred Warner weighed in on Pearsall's perseverance through what has been a challenging season.
"Ricky's made it the right stuff," Warner said. "He's always been. Just because he hadn't had that big performance, you keep knocking at the door, it's gonna come at some point. He had it in the biggest moment tonight."
When asked which teammate has had the most significant impact on his transition to the NFL, Pearsall singled out wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
"Specifically, in the receiver room, Deebo has been a tremendous support to me, and a great leader for me, to obviously come into a room like that," Pearsall said. "I just want to make sure that he feels appreciated because he should. I appreciate him greatly. He's been tremendous for me."
