Kyle Shanahan comments on the Ricky Pearsall shooting.
It might just be a coincidence that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has a tattoo of praying hands on the right side of his chest, or perhaps it’s a sign that something or someone was watching over him last weekend when he narrowly survived a gunshot wound “about 2 inches” below the tattoo.
For nearly an hour after the incident, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and the entire organization were left to do nothing but pray, as they had little information about the rookie receiver’s condition.
“It was really tough,” Shanahan recounted days later, as reported by Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. “We only knew he got shot, and that was all. It took us about an hour to figure out which hospital he was in because we were just making calls to people who might know. But no one knew his exact location or condition.”
Eventually, the 49ers learned that Pearsall was conscious and expected to make a full recovery, though concerns for his health were still valid. Pearsall later called Shanahan via FaceTime.
“That was the first moment I knew he was going to be okay,” Shanahan said. “It was incredible because, during that hour, when you hear about a shooting, you fear the worst, especially when it’s in the chest. You don’t usually expect it to end well. But then, 15 minutes later, you’re talking to him, and he seems okay.”
Not only was Pearsall okay, but he was eager to play in the 49ers’ season opener against the Jets on September 9th. However, the team placed him on the Non-Football Injury list, denying his request to play.
Ricky Pearsall back with San Francisco 49ers
While Pearsall was still in the hospital, he had the chance to FaceTime with not only Kyle Shanahan but the entire team through a large screen TV and speakers. Shortly after being discharged, he returned to the team facility, observing practice from the sidelines.
“He’s one of the toughest individuals I know, especially after going through something like that,” said the 49ers head coach. “We always knew this watching him on the field, but seeing how he handled that situation and how he’s been every day since just shows what a remarkable person he is.”
Special. Tough. Blessed. Ricky Pearsall embodies all of these qualities.
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