The San Francisco 49ers have placed rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall on the reserve/non-football injury list following a shooting incident over the weekend. Pearsall, 23, was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery and will miss at least the first four games of the 2024 season as he recovers. The incident occurred on Saturday around 3:30 p.m. PT when a 17-year-old boy attempted to rob Pearsall at gunpoint. An altercation ensued, leading to injuries for both Pearsall and the suspect. San Francisco Police officers provided aid to both individuals and transported them to the hospital. Police have not yet determined a motive for the shooting, and there is no indication that Pearsall was targeted due to his football career, according to San Francisco Police Chief William Scott. The suspect acted alone, and the gun used in the shooting has been recovered.

The 49ers reported that Pearsall was in a "serious but stable condition" and had been released from the hospital on Sunday. Pearsall’s mother, Erin, shared on Facebook that the bullet entered his chest and exited through his back, narrowly missing vital organs. Drafted by the 49ers with the 31st pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Pearsall previously played three years at Arizona State and two years at Florida, where he recorded 965 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his final collegiate season. The 49ers' first game of the season is scheduled for September 9 against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.