SANTA CLARA — The 49ers will soon get down to the business of preparing for their opener against the New York Jets but for the time being, they were feeling fortunate that teammate Ricky Pearsall Jr. survived a gunshot wound through his chest and lived to tell about it.
“By the grace of God, Ricky Pearsall is here with the team and doing really well,” general manager John Lynch said Tuesday. “We just all feel incredibly blessed. I was able to be at the hospital, and if I heard from one person, I heard it from many; it was nothing short of miraculous that he came out of this as good as he did.”
Pearsall, 23, was shot in a robbery attempt Saturday in San Francisco’s Union Square, where he was purchasing luggage after signing at a card show. The alleged assailant, a 17-year-old teen who targeted Pearsall because of his Rolex watch, was also shot in the struggle. Both are expected to recover.
By Saturday night, Pearsall was addressing teammates via FaceTime at a team party. On Monday, he was at the team facility, as he was again on Tuesday, talking with coach Kyle Shanahan before practice.
“When I got to the hospital to visit with Ricky, one of the first things he said was, ‘Mr. Lynch, I’d really like everyone to go to that party, and I’d like to talk to some of my teammates,’ ” Lynch said. “It was kind of a cool moment we were able to pipe Ricky into the party and that show of love and respect was a real special moment for our team.”
Lynch said no organs or bones were struck and he expects Pearsall to play this season. Pearsall will miss a minimum of four games for recovery on the non-football injury list.
“He’s doing remarkably well,” Lynch said. “It’s kind of uncharted territory.”
Lynch, on behalf of Pearsall, his family and the 49ers, wanted to thank the San Francisco Police Department for their quick response as well as the staff at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
Teammates were still processing the news of a teammate being shot, and they were thankful Pearsall will recover fully.
Guard Aaron Banks said he was looking forward to the team party when he heard the news.
“It was really heartbreaking,” Banks said. “I didn’t know what type of condition he was in. I just saw he was hit in the chest. I was concerned for his life . . . he ended up talking to us, got on FaceTime, and it was really nice to hear his voice and see he was in good spirits.”
Center Jake Brendel decried the frequency of crime and gun violence in general.
“I think a lot of people think it’s rare, but it’s not rare,” Brendel said. “It needs to be addressed by somebody . . . It’s just sad to see something like that happen to anyone you know, anyone in your community. Luckily, he’s alive. That’s something you don’t see every day, someone surviving an attack like that.”
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said within 20 minutes of hearing the news, he learned on a group chat with fellow defensive backs that Pearsall would be OK. He expects the first-round draft pick out of Florida to be a factor in the 49ers’ 2024 season.
“He is a big addition to the team,” Lenoir said. “I feel when he gets back he’s going to be a big contributor to the offense.”
Guard Spencer Buford said the shooting was a reminder “you’ve got to be cautious about wherever you go. Watch your surroundings and be aware.”
Left tackle Trent Williams, who reported Tuesday after a contract holdout, was eager to get back in the building after hearing the news. Williams said Pearsall introduced himself at an offseason practice and made a positive impression.
“I just instantly felt his vibe and could feel he’s such a genuine person,” Williams said. “As soon as I saw what happened I just wanted to be a voice in his ear, letting him know everything will be all right.”
Williams said he’ll also counsel younger teammates.
“A lot of people are probably hurt and confused, ‘Am I going to be next?’” Williams said. “I wanted to be around for that. My message is to just realize you’re a target, and this world is a hard place. A very, very hard place. And I think sometimes we are shielded from reality.
“Just realize staying in the moment and realizing your life is more important than what you can wake up and put on. There’s people out there that really don’t value human life. Just got to be aware of that.”
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was a former teammate of Pearsall’s at Arizona State before he transferred to Florida and went from the relief and satisfaction of signing a four-year contract extension worth $30 million per year to the shocking news of the incident in San Francisco.
“That was a very traumatic experience for all involved,” Aiyuk said. “Just super happy that he’s alive and we’re able to see him and talk to him. Definitely not the news I was looking forward to on that day. But by the grace of God, he’s still here with us and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Tim Ryan, the 49ers radio analyst, said Tuesday on KNBR 680-AM that he had spoken to Pearsall in the weight room at the team facility.
“I already know this: His street cred has gone up tremendously around here,” Ryan said.
The 49ers open their regular season Monday night hosting the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel figure to start at wide receiver, while Jauan Jennings, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, and Jacob Cowing are options on the 53-man roster while Pearsall awaits activation from the non-football injury list.
