San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall reached a significant milestone on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hauling in his first NFL touchdown early in the game.


Pearsall's NFL journey has captivated fans. The first-year wideout has only played in three games, having been sidelined to start the season after an August 31 incident in which he was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt. A determined Pearsall worked his way back on the field. He finished Sunday's game with four catches for a career-high 73 yards, earning him a Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week award nomination.

"He's the toughest guy that I know, man, just from being drafted [in the first round], the expectations and the pressures of being a first-rounder," quarterback Brock Purdy said Tuesday morning on Bay Area radio station KNBR. "... To then coming in, learning our playbook, and competing, and then going through a gunshot and worrying about your life. And then getting healthy and getting back.

"That is so much for a rookie and as a young human. And to then getting back and getting in our offense. And not just getting back, but just making plays and being a huge part of our offense.


"For him to come in and compete and then have him get a touchdown like that, and break a couple tackles and reach for the end zone, it was so special. Just seeing him, and his journey, and his story, and for all of us to be a part of it, and just watch him, he's inspired all of us."

Pearsall shared that his touchdown catch followed a missed opportunity on the previous drive when a pass from Purdy was slightly behind him, allowing a defensive back to break up the play. Pearsall didn't blame Purdy, acknowledging that their chemistry is still developing.

"I think the reason the pass was a little bit behind me on that first drive is because I cut it short," Pearsall said. "So, just getting on the same page on that. It's just going to get much, much better, and I've got more and more confidence going into it."

Pearsall has quickly become a favorite among his teammates, not just for what he has endured but for his dedication to helping the team succeed. That made his performance against the Buccaneers all the more meaningful for Purdy and the rest of the locker room.

"Just coming from getting shot in the chest to scoring an NFL touchdown a couple of months later, that just doesn't even make sense," Purdy added. "And that's Ricky Pearsall, dude. He's a tough dude and competitor, and he wants it and wants to show everybody what he's made of. He's a special kid. Really, really excited to be playing with him."


You can listen to the entire Purdy interview below.



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