The San Francisco 49ers have a knack for making big moments happen with their rookies, and this Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs could be another chapter in that story. Ricky Pearsall Jr., a highly anticipated first-round draft pick, is set to make his debut. If you’ve been following the 49ers’ exciting roster moves in recent years, you’d know this isn’t unfamiliar territory. Remember Christian McCaffery and Brock Purdy? Their stories followed a similar arc, making their first appearances in key games, and Pearsall is now in line to follow in their footsteps.
Pearsall’s path to the field hasn’t been without its challenges. In fact, his journey to Sunday’s game is as thrilling as any story coming out of the NFL. Pearsall was officially moved up to the 53-man roster from the non-football injury list on Saturday, a significant development. His activation comes just in time for the game against the reigning two-time Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, at Levi’s Stadium. And if that isn’t enough drama, kicker Matthew Wright has been placed on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury, leading to the promotions of kicker Anders Carlson and safety Jaylen Mahoney as practice squad elevations.
But it’s Pearsall’s leap from injury recovery to game day that really captures the excitement. After being shot during a robbery attempt on August 31st, the fact that Pearsall is even suiting up feels like a victory. That incident, coupled with a shoulder subluxation (a partial separation), limited his time in training camp. Despite all that, Coach Kyle Shanahan felt confident enough after just three days of practice to throw him into the mix against a team like the Chiefs. Talk about a leap of faith!
Coach Shanahan himself put it best, “Ricky’s been studying, he’s been getting a ton of stuff,” Shanahan shared Friday, hinting at Pearsall’s determination to overcome the hurdles in front of him. “He’s getting better every day. I know he’ll continue to improve each week.” It’s no small feat to catch up on missed practices, especially with complex NFL schematics, but Shanahan seems to believe in Pearsall’s ability to meet the challenge. And it’s this belief that gives Sunday’s game even more weight. Not only is Pearsall stepping into a massive moment, but the entire coaching staff is backing him up.
Pearsall’s situation is reminiscent of McCaffery’s arrival to the 49ers two years ago. McCaffery, acquired via trade from the Carolina Panthers, had barely a day to familiarize himself with the 49ers’ playbook. Despite this, he played against the Chiefs in Week 7, carrying the ball eight times for 38 yards and catching two passes for 24 yards in what ended up being a 44-23 loss. Similarly, it was during this game that Brock Purdy, the seventh-round pick out of Iowa State, made his debut, filling in for Jimmy Garoppolo late in the game.
Purdy’s debut, in particular, has an almost cinematic quality to it. He took over for Garoppolo and led the 49ers deep into Chiefs territory. Though he completed four of nine passes for 66 yards, his final throw was intercepted in the end zone by Juan Thornhill. While that may not sound like an auspicious start, it was the beginning of something much larger for Purdy, who has now solidified his place in the NFL with 33 starts under his belt, including playoff games. Looking back on his debut, Purdy himself finds it amusing, reflecting on how fast everything was moving for him at the time. “My mind was going pretty fast,” he said, laughing about the experience.
Pearsall’s upcoming debut feels like it’s cut from the same cloth. He’s been making strides in practice, but the game against the Chiefs will be the true test. And to add even more emotion to the moment, his family and friends will be in attendance, ready to cheer him on. After Monday’s low-key walkthrough, Pearsall admitted that his emotions were already building up. You can only imagine how high they’ll be come Sunday.
Interestingly, Pearsall hasn’t been doing formal interviews with the media just yet, opting to keep things informal for now. The plan is for him to speak publicly after his first game, adding a layer of anticipation to what’s already a high-energy situation. Could he become a future media darling like some of his teammates? Time will tell.
Jauan Jennings, who leads the team’s wide receivers with 25 receptions, 404 yards, and three touchdowns, will be out of the lineup with a hip injury. His absence creates an opportunity for Pearsall, who could step in as a third receiver. Jennings has been Shanahan’s go-to in the red zone, scoring a 4-yard flip from Purdy against the Rams. With Jennings averaging 40 snaps per game, it remains to be seen if Shanahan will place that same level of trust in Pearsall right out of the gate.
Sunday’s game also serves as a kind of anniversary for the 49ers’ matchups with the Chiefs. It was two years ago that McCaffery played his first game for the team against Kansas City. And who can forget the Super Bowl LVIII showdown between these two teams? While Jennings had a breakout performance in that game, it was Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who took home the MVP honors, throwing a 21-yard touchdown to McCaffery and catching a 10-yard pass from Purdy. The 49ers are hoping Pearsall can contribute in similar high-stakes moments.
Though Pearsall may not yet have the resume of a McCaffery or a Purdy, he certainly has the potential to become another key player in Shanahan’s system. Pearsall has been fielding punts in practice, and while Shanahan didn’t rule out using him in that role, it seems unlikely. During his college career, he had just 15 punt returns for 153 yards. But that doesn’t mean we won’t see him in the red zone. With McCaffery out indefinitely due to Achilles tendonitis, the 49ers could use all the help they can get inside the 20-yard line. Tight end George Kittle has been the primary target there, notching five touchdowns this season, all on plays within the red zone.
So, will Pearsall be the missing piece the 49ers need to get the upper hand on the Chiefs this time? While no one can say for sure, the excitement is palpable. Shanahan himself downplayed any dramatic moments in the decision-making process. According to him, the team’s practice schedule made it clear Pearsall would be activated. “We kept repping him, and I think he understood he was going to be up,” Shanahan said. “There was no magical moment.”
That may be true, but Sunday has the potential to be a magical day for Ricky Pearsall Jr. All eyes will be on Levi’s Stadium to see if the rookie can make a splash in his debut.
Login