San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall had a classy message for the person who shot him in 2024.
The rookie was the victim of a surprising shooting incident shortly before the NFL season kicked off.
Pearsall, the 31st overall pick, was shot in the chest while at Union Square, with a 17-year-old attempting to rob him of a Rolex watch before a weapon the teenager was carrying was discharged in a scuffle.
The Niners placed Pearsall on the injured reserve, but he was back in the weight room just a few days later. He would go on to make 11 appearances for the NFC outfit, making his NFL debut on October 19, registering 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
Ricky Pearsall Is Open To A Conversation With His Shooter
Pearsall spoke about the incident this week and told KNBR he doesn’t hold any ill will toward the teenager involved.
He also indicated a willingness to have a conversation with the kid, saying he wouldn’t judge him based on a single action as he had no idea how he grew up.
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“I don’t know how he grew up, so I can’t judge him as a man just based off one action that he made,” he said. “As violent as a crime as it was—god forbid him doing that to somebody else—I don’t ever want that to happen, so whatever has to go into that…
“At the end of the day, I have to be able to forgive him to have that weight off my chest. At some point, I do want to talk to the kid and make sure that, if I can create an impact on him in any way, I think that would be really big. I’d be definitely open to doing that.”
The soon-to-be second-year player noted that the case wasn’t a top priority for him during the season but will move to the forefront now that it’s over.
The 49ers, who made it all the way to the Super Bowl last season, failed to make the playoffs this time around. They finished 6-11 and lost seven of their last eight games, ending their season with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Pearsall will hope to have more involvement in 2025.
