# Ricky Pearsall

Richard Pearsall Jr. (born September 9, 2000) is an American professional football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and Florida Gators. Pearsall was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Pearsall was shot in the chest during a botched robbery attempt over his Rolex watch in San Francisco on August 31, 2024, and was released from the hospital the following day. He made his NFL debut in October.

## Early life

Pearsall was born on September 9, 2000, in Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up in nearby Chandler, Arizona, and attended Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona. As a junior, he set the Arizona High School 6A receiving yard record for a single game with 342 on 14 receptions against Gilbert High School. Pearsall finished the season with 74 receptions for 1,153 yards and 15 touchdowns. Pearsall was rated a three-star recruit and committed to play college football at Arizona State over offers from Air Force, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, and UC Davis.

## College career

Pearsall began his college career at Arizona State. He had seven receptions for 128 yards as a freshman. Pearsall played in all four of the Sun Devils' games in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 Pac-12 season and caught six passes for 86 yards and one touchdown. Pearsall had 48 receptions for 580 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns as a junior. After the 2021 season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Pearsall ultimately transferred to Florida after also considering Oregon. He suffered from a foot injury during training camp, but recovered prior to the start of the 2022 season. Pearsall had five receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Florida State. Pearsall finished the 2022 season with 33 receptions for 661 yards and five touchdowns. In the 2023 season, Pearsall had 65 receptions for 965 yards and four touchdowns.

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 189 lb (86 kg) | 30+7⁄8 in (0.78 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.41 s | 1.57 s | 2.53 s | 4.05 s | 6.64 s | 42.0 in (1.07 m) | 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) | 17 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine ||||||||||||
The San Francisco 49ers selected Pearsall in the first round (31st overall) of the 2024 NFL draft. Pearsall was the sixth wide receiver drafted in 2024.

### 2024 season

On June 21, 2024, the San Francisco 49ers signed Pearsall to a four-year, $12.35 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $5.93 million and is fully guaranteed at signing. On September 2, Pearsall was placed on the reserve/NFI list following a gunshot wound to the chest. He was activated on October 19.
Pearsall made his NFL debut in Week 7, and recorded three receptions for 21 yards in a 28–18 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pearsall caught his first career touchdown, along with 4 receptions for 73 yards, on November 10, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Against the Detroit Lions in Week 17, Pearsall had 8 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown, marking the most yards by a 49ers rookie receiver in a single game since Jerry Rice's 241 yards in 1985. Against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18, Pearsall put up 6 receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown in the 24-47 loss.

## NFL career statistics

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Rushing | Fumbles | Fumbles |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
| 2024 | SF | 11 | 4 | 31 | 400 | 12.9 | 46T | 3 | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | Career | 11 | 4 | 31 | 400 | 12.9 | 46T | 3 | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Shooting

On August 31, 2024, a 17-year-old male from Tracy, California, allegedly attempting to steal Pearsall's Rolex watch, shot Pearsall through the chest. The robbery occurred in the afternoon in Union Square, San Francisco. He was reportedly en route to an autograph signing event. There was a struggle for the gun, and both Pearsall and the suspect were shot. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment and was released the next day after his condition was upgraded from serious to fair. Nine days after the shooting, Pearsall had recovered enough to appear on the sidelines of the 49ers' season opener against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium, and to warm applause from the crowd, presented signed 49ers jerseys to the police officer and trauma surgeon who had saved his life.

## Personal life

Pearsall's father, Ricky Pearsall Sr., is a captain within the Phoenix Fire Department and played college football at Northern Arizona.