San Francisco 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall Attends Season Opener, Greets First Responders After Shooting

Over one week after he was shot during an armed robbery attempt, San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall attended the team’s season opener and met with first responders.

On Monday, September 9, during the 49ers matchup against the New York Jets, two of the first responders who helped Pearsall, 24, were honored before the game. San Francisco Police Department sergeant Joelle Harrell, the first officer to arrive at the scene in Union Square, attended with her husband. San Francisco General Hospital surgeon Dr. Luck Kornblith, who treated Pearsall at the hospital, was also in attendance.

Pearsall, who also celebrated his 24th birthday on Monday, took to the field to express his gratitude to both of the first responders — and give them each signed jerseys.

God had bigger plans, blessed to see 24! ,” Pearsall wrote via Instagram following the game alongside pictures of him with Harrell and Kornblith.

On August 31, the NFL released a statement that Pearsall was in “stable condition” after an armed robbery attempt earlier that day.

“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting this afternoon,” the NFL shared at the time. “He sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition.”