San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (L) appeared in 20 games through his first two seasons. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI Aug. 13 (UPI) -- San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall underwent knee surgery and targets a nine-month recovery, he announced Thursday on Instagram. Pearsall injured the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a Sept. 28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He missed all or parts of 10 games during his 2025 campaign. Pearsall, who missed six games in 2024 after being shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco, totaled 36 catches for 528 yards last season. He experienced swelling in his right knee after three training camp practices this summer, leading to his decision to have surgery. The 49ers placed Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve Aug. 1. "Nothing to be disappointed about," Pearsall wrote on Instagram. "No regrets. No what ifs. Just peace in the midst of yet another trial, knowing I did everything I could. I gave myself time to disconnect from the world, process everything and shift my focus toward what's ahead over these next nine months. "All I've ever known is football. I've never missed a game because of a football injury in my entire career. So when I got the news, it was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that the same injury I had been fighting through, the one that was supposed to be alright, was ultimately going to require surgery and end my 2026 season."
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The 49ers will enter the 2026 season with Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Christian Kirk among their top wide receivers. Pearsall, the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, thanked his supporters and doubters in his Instagram post. The 49ers must decide next off-season if they want to pick up the fifth-year option in Pearsall's rookie contract, which would keep him tied to the team through 2028. "The road back starts now," Pearsall wrote. "I'm ready for every part of it. Every early morning. Every setback. Every small win nobody sees. Every step that gets me closer to stepping back on that field." The 49ers will host the Tennessee Titans in their preseason opener at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif. They will battle the Los Angeles Rams in their regular-season opener Sept. 10 in Melbourne.