Ricky Pearsall is back and on the board.
Just two months since he was shot in the chest on the streets of San Francisco, the rookie 49ers receiver scored the first touchdown of his NFL career on Sunday.
The score gave the 49ers and early 7-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pearsall showed off the speed that made him a first-round draft pick in April to get into the end zone.
On second-and-5 from the San Francisco 46-yard line, Brock Purdy looked to Pearsall on a pass over the middle of the field. Pearsall caught the ball in a soft spot in the Tampa Bay zone near the 30-yard line, then outran three Bucs defenders on his way to the end zone.
Antoine Winfield Jr. gave chase near the goal line, but couldn’t stop Pearsall short of the end zone.
The 49ers selected Pearsall with the 31st pick in April’s draft out of Florida.
On Sept. 1, Pearsall was shot in the chest during an alleged attempted armed robbery near San Francisco’s Union Square. He had been in downtown San Francisco for an autograph-signing event with fans.
The bullet missed Pearsall’s vital organs, and he was released from the hospital a day after being shot. Four days after that, Pearsall showed up to 49ers practice.
Pearsall started the season on the reserve/non-football injury list and missed the first six games of the season. He returned to make his NFL debut in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs and entered Sunday having caught seven passes for 59 yards in two games.
Now he has his first NFL score. And he has the potential to be a difference maker for a 49ers team in the thick of the NFC playoff race.
