How one 49ers rookie quickly impressed Brock Purdy
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's NFL career got off to a tough start. After suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, he missed the first six games of the season. However, when he was on the practice field, the rookie quickly impressed his teammate—quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy recently joined the Built 4 More podcast to discuss why Pearsall's attitude and determination during practice caught his attention.
"This dude went through so much adversity early on, but anytime he was out in the field with us at practice, he'd come up to me and just wouldn't shut up," Purdy said. "'Brock, dude, I'm going to take this many steps here, break out. You can trust me on the side.' I love that."
Purdy added, "For me, in the heat of the moment, I need a guy I can trust, and this guy wants to get on the same page with me. So after practice, he's running routes, I'm throwing to him. And then in the game, boom, we're hitting on third down and converting. That's what it takes, time and time again."
Pearsall finished his rookie season with 31 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games (four starts). With Deebo Samuel now traded to the Washington Commanders and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from ACL and MCL injuries, Pearsall could see even more opportunities in 2025.
"I'm definitely excited to build on stuff that I left off on and continue to grow as a player," Pearsall said after the season. "And now, I know what's expected. Not going to be a rookie anymore, so nothing's going to be really new. I'll be able to definitely grow as a player. I'm excited for it."
You can listen to Purdy's entire interview below.
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