49ers’ Kyle Shanahan shares blunt response when questioned about team party

On Saturday night, just hours after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hosted his annual team party at his new home in Los Altos Hills. While some might question his decision to continue with the event, it would be foolish to criticize it without knowing all the details.

A valid question, however, is what went through Shanahan's mind after learning of the rookie's injury, especially with so many people on their way to his house. Sports Illustrated's Grant Cohn posed this very question to Shanahan on Thursday, asking if he considered dropping everything and rushing to be by Pearsall's side, as general manager John Lynch did.

"Yeah, obviously, but I'm in charge of our team, too," Shanahan replied candidly. "I don't do that stuff just so you won't say something negative about me. I try to make the right decision for the people I'm responsible for.

"I had a hundred people about to show up to my house an hour and a half from there. I try to do things for the right reason. People who know me never question that. But I would never do something just to avoid people saying bad things."

Lynch had previously revealed that Pearsall himself insisted the party go on. After Shanahan FaceTimed Pearsall following the incident and saw that he was stable, the coach decided to proceed with the event.

During an interview on Bay Area radio station KNBR Friday morning, Lynch reiterated that Pearsall, from his hospital bed, insisted that the team party wasn't canceled.

Lynch recounted his side of the story. He was preparing to attend the party when he received the news about Pearsall. Soon after, team security picked him up and took him to San Francisco General Hospital, where Pearsall spent the night.

He received updates along the way, and just before arriving at the hospital, he learned that Pearsall was stable.

"But again, you want to see it, you want to believe it," Lynch said. "So, it was a whirlwind of emotions."

Lynch remained in contact with Shanahan during the drive.

"We got this huge team party," the GM recalled. "We're obviously going to cancel it. But then, getting down to the hospital, and it looks like things are a lot better than we might have anticipated. And seeing Ricky, and quickly, the only thing he said is, 'Mr. Lynch, I was ready to come to that party. What are we doing with that?'"

Pearsall made it clear that he wanted the event to proceed, telling Lynch, "That party needs to happen."

Shanahan admitted that he initially planned to cancel the party until he spoke with Pearsall via FaceTime. Only after that conversation did he feel comfortable moving forward with the event.

"It was actually a really cool opportunity," Shanahan said. "Got the whole team together, got a TV out there for everyone to see, and then he got to FaceTime with the whole team and just let everyone kind of know or let everyone feel kind of how he made me feel when I spoke with him."

Shanahan added, "If anyone knows us, we would never do something inappropriate. We care about our teammates more than anyone."

Just two days after the incident, Pearsall was back working out at the 49ers' facility. On Thursday, after being placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list, he was seen cheering on his teammates at practice as they prepared for Monday night's game against the New York Jets.