One of the most anticipated updates for San Francisco 49ers fans finally arrived on Wednesday. Ricky Pearsall returned to practice, albeit in a limited capacity, and impressed reporters watching from the sidelines with his sharp movements.
In a video shared from practice, fans got their first look at Pearsall since his knee injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and his route running and cuts left plenty of reason for optimism.
Will Ricky Pearsall Play Against the Arizona Cardinals?
The 49ers’ offense has held its own despite the absence of key players like Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, and Pearsall. Still, it has been missing the explosive element the franchise expected from its playmakers, especially given Kyle Shanahan’s offensive success in past seasons.
Pearsall got off to a promising start, recording 327 receiving yards through the first four games, including two outings with over 100 yards. Even though he hasn’t played since the matchup against Jacksonville, he remains third on the team in receiving yards, behind Christian McCaffrey and Kendrick Bourne.
On Wednesday, Pearsall returned to practice and showed impressive movement, running routes that suggested he is fully recovered and ready to play this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Ricky Pearsall is back at practice, cuts here and tests his knee. Limited today. #FTTB | #49ers pic.twitter.com/eydtNYGYqm
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) November 12, 2025
Another video captured the chemistry between Purdy and Pearsall, a duo that looked in sync during their two games together earlier in the season. If things go as Shanahan expects, both players should return from injury and rejoin the starting lineup, a much-needed boost for a San Francisco team that has been hit hard by injuries.
Brock ➡️ Ricky
🔥💯🔥 pic.twitter.com/tSDFhFTcly
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) November 12, 2025
Shanahan told reporters that the training staff assured him Pearsall was healthy, but he wanted to see it for himself in practice before making a final decision on his availability. Either way, for the first time all season, there is a sense of optimism in San Francisco about the team’s recovery and health.
Pearsall spoke to reporters about his injury and the timeline for his return.
“It’s always frustrating when you get something taken away from you like that,” Pearsall said. “Just playing football, that’s part of the game. Sometimes you get banged up, but yeah, it sucks. Anytime I don’t get snaps and I’m not out there with my guys, it sucks for sure.
“I wouldn’t say there was setbacks, but we all expected me to come back earlier,” Pearsall acknowledged. “If you look at how PCLs recover, especially for skill guys like me, playing receiver, having to cut off this leg, doing speed cuts, stuff like that, it’s not an easy process just to turn around in a week and come back. Initially, yeah, I was telling myself to come back as quick as possible, and it just didn’t turn out that way.”
“Anytime I start feeling like myself, that’s when I feel like I’m ready to go,” Pearsall said. “I’m not the type to not push through pain. I’m going to still push through pain. This ain’t nothing to me. I’ve been through way worse. I feel like, this week, I’ve been feeling like myself more.”
“If I’m being honest, I was having pain. I was trying to get to the point where I could push through it, and I feel like I can now.”
Based on those comments, a return for Pearsall soon, wouldn’t be a massive surprise.
Against Arizona in Week 3, Pearsall delivered his best performance of the season according to the PFSN WR Impact Meter, earning an 80.2 score and a B- grade.
Throughout the year, the team’s wide receivers have combined for just three touchdowns. Pearsall’s return could help open up the playbook in red-zone situations and boost the team’s overall passing production.
