How Pearsall shooting inspired Williams to make 49ers return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Tomorrow is never promised.
That is what Trent Williams thought when he heard the news that 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall had been shot in an attempted armed robbery on Saturday in San Francisco. The incident left Williams wanting to be with his teammates in Santa Clara immediately.
“Honestly, to be real, I felt compelled to come back after that, more than anything,” Williams said Tuesday. “Because I’ve never experienced that, to have a teammate shot, so to speak. So in my mind, I just want to get back and get around the team.”
The 15-year NFL veteran met the rookie receiver once for only a few minutes during OTAs in June and was impressed by their initial interaction.
“Ricky stood out to me because when I popped in for OTAs for the 30 minutes I was here, he did go out of his way to introduce himself to me,” Williams recalled. “Obviously we were going to meet each other eventually but I’m getting there and there are 90 guys on the team.
“I’m walking out and I don’t know everybody just yet. I just instantly felt his vibe and could feel he’s such a genuine person.”
But it wasn’t just the greeting that Williams noticed. It was the young receiver’s sincerity that the All-Pro took note of, as well as Pearsall’s confidence that is not always apparent with rookies.
The 36-year-old left tackle has been a captain 11 different times, and his leadership as well as his fatherly role in the locker room is one he enjoys and relishes. Williams wanted to get to the facility to support Pearsall and the team.
“When I saw that happen, I just wanted to be a voice in his ear,” Williams said. “[To] let him know everything will be all right, and be there for the team. A lot of people are probably hurt and confused about what happened, thinking ‘Am I going to be next?’ So I want to be around for that.”
While Williams understands Pearsall might not have been targeted because he is an NFL player, there needs to be extra awareness that as prominent figures, celebrity brings more attention, and not necessarily all positive.
“My message is just to realize that you’re a target,” Williams said. “This world is a hard place; it’s a very, very hard place and I think sometimes we are shielded from reality, for better or worse, whatever the reason is, we are, we can be.
“Just staying in the moment and realizing that your life is more important than anything you can wake up and put on, so always keep your eye out, and know that there are people out here that don’t really value human life and you just got to be aware of that.”
Thankfully, Pearsall already was back in the facility and on the road to recovery on Tuesday, but Williams’ words certainly some to take to heart.
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