After the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall survived a shooting incident last Sunday, several NFL players expressed their support and well-wishes to the rookie. Among those players are Pearsall’s former Florida Gators teammate Anthony Richardson, now the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback. Moreover, he also visited his teammate to check up on him.
The media caught up to Richardson and asked him about his friend’s condition.
“That’s my guy,” the Colts QB said, via Jake Arthur on X, formerly Twitter. “We’ve been rocking together since college. So, you know I had to check on my dude, but he’s all good.”
“That’s my guy. We’ve been rockin’ together since college. So, you know I had to check on my dude, but he’s all good.”
#Colts QB Anthony Richardson has spoken to friend and former Florida teammate Ricky Pearsall since he was shot in an attempted robbery last weekend.
"That's my guy. We've been rockin' together since college. So, you know I had to check on my dude, but he's all good." pic.twitter.com/RMy9BE2hun
— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) September 4, 2024
The incident
The shooting happened in a failed robbery attempt, while the No. 31 draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was signing autographs for fans around Union Square in San Francisco. According to incident reports, a teenager shot Ricky Pearsall during a brief struggle for his watch, the bullet hitting him in the chest and exiting through his back.
In a video released after the incident, the 49ers rookie appeared to walk to the ambulance. Meanwhile, the police arrested the teenage suspect shortly after the shooting.
The hospital also released the WR on Sunday afternoon, adding that he didn’t need surgery to treat his gunshot wound. He was also awake throughout his hospital stay. Moreover, Ricky Pearsall returned to the 49ers weight room just 48 hours after the shooting, demonstrating his will and perseverance.
Still, in the interest of prudence, the 49ers will sit him for the first four games of the upcoming NFL season.
On the Colts rookie
Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson continues his comeback after an injury cut his rookie season short last year. The Colts still managed to reach the postseason without him, and coach Shane Steichen looks forward to unleashing his new weapon on the field.
Richardson is one of the four young quarterbacks in the AFC South with the most superstar potential, the others being Will Levis, CJ Stroud, and Trevor Lawrence.
In Richardson’s case, he will have to use his running ability to give his team the advantage, which means he also has to learn to protect his body on the field. After all, his injury struck while he was running the ball.
He will also have to learn to handle expectations in a city whose sports teams are seemingly rising all at once.
For one, Tyrese Haliburton just led the Indiana Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals last season. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark has been a sensation in the WNBA, leading the Indiana Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, breaking all sorts of records all the while.
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