Brock Purdy Discusses Ricky Pearsall’s Rookie Year Challenges

Santa Clara, Calif. – Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, shared insights on wide receiver Ricky Pearsall‘s challenging rookie season during a recent press conference. The team drafted Pearsall as the 31st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, marking a significant shift in their receiving corps.

Initially intended to help the team transition away from trading star wideout Deebo Samuel, Pearsall faced a difficult start to his career. His rookie offseason was marred by injuries and an alarming incident involving a shooting that delayed his entry onto the field. Nevertheless, when he returned, he made a striking impact, achieving over 70 yards from scrimmage in two of his first three games.

But Pearsall’s journey was not without setbacks. Following a promising start, he encountered struggles, accumulating only 58 receiving yards over six games with limited field time. Purdy elaborated on Pearsall’s difficulties in adjusting to the team’s system and timing: “He was raw with his talent. He had to learn our system, our timing, where I’m throwing the ball,” Purdy explained.

“We had a couple of those moments where he needed to adjust his timing, especially on his routes,” he continued. “Ricky’s got a lot of shimmy to his game, which we love against man coverage.” The quarterback noted that their on-field communication improved significantly over Pearsall’s rookie year, a crucial element of their developing partnership.

As training camp progresses, Pearsall is stepping into a leading role amid Brandon Aiyuk‘s injury recovery, showing promise as he builds on last year’s learning curve. His performance in the final games of last season, including a standout game with eight catches and 141 yards, caught the attention of fans and teammates alike.

Purdy remarked, “Towards the end of last season, you saw Ricky come out of his shell. He was playing within our system and timing. It’s exciting to see how he evolves as a receiver.” With a renewed sense of purpose, the duo aims to continue enhancing their connection as the 2025 season approaches.