Ever since the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl overtime in February, the storied NFL franchise has seemed to be surrounded by negative attention, with two of its star players, Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk, upset about their contract situation and the team's front office in no hurry to do anything about it.
Luckily for San Francisco, the team was finally able to come to terms on a new deal with Aiyuk, making him one of the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL.
With the 49ers seemingly content with trading Aiyuk in the offseason before ultimately agreeing to the deal, the team made a surprise move during the 2024 NFL Draft by bringing in talented young receiver Ricky Piersall, who many thought would make an immediate impact for the team.
But last weekend, tragedy struck in San Francisco, which took a nasty turn for the newcomer: Pearsall was robbed at gunpoint and then shot in the chest.
Piersall was rushed to the hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound and has now been released from the hospital, with the 49ers releasing the following statement on his condition on their X account.
Update on Ricky Pearsall. pic.twitter.com/aoF2s9Ztcm
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 1, 2024
The bullet passed right through Pearsall's body, and while that sounds horrific, it likely saved his life or prevented further damage by missing vital organs.
The real question going forward is whether this issue will jeopardize his long-term health and how it will impact his NFL career.