The San Francisco 49ers are getting some much-needed reinforcements this week, as starting quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall are both returning from multi-week injuries.
Purdy has been out since Week 4 after re-aggravating a toe injury, while Pearsall has missed the same amount of time with a knee injury.
For Pearsall, the 49ers expected the wideout back a while back when talking about initial timelines, but the injury has clearly been significant enough that the team had to hold him out until Week 12.
Its always frustrating when you get something taken away from you like that, Pearsall said about his injury. Just playing football, thats part of the game. Sometimes you get banged up, but yeah, it sucks. Anytime I dont get snaps and Im not out there with my guys, it sucks for sure.
When it came to the recovery, while Pearsall didnt think there was a setback, he acknowledged the nature of his PCL injury, which made the recovery longer than expected.
I wouldnt 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, its 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 didnt turn out that way.
So, whats been different for Pearsall this week compared to weeks past?
Anytime I start feeling like myself, thats when I feel like Im ready to go, Pearsall said. Im not the type to not push through pain. Im going to still push through pain. This aint nothing to me. Ive been through way worse. I feel like, this week, Ive been feeling like myself more.
If Im 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.
Injuries have unfortunately been a part of Pearsalls early career, as he dealt with issues throughout his rookie season. But, it was his first in-season injury that actually made him miss games, so the process to return was different than with the other injuries hes had.
Prior to getting hurt, Pearsall was a clear difference-maker for the 49ers offense, topping 100 yards twice in four games, while averaging an impressive 16.4 yards per catch.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the plan is to ease Pearsall in, both in practice this week and during the game, but his return is a different feel because of how valuable he was to the offense during the offseason and the first few weeks of the season.
San Francisco enters a crucial stretch here over the next few weeks, with the Arizona Cardinals up first, as they look to make a playoff push following last years disappointment. Theyll need the Brock Purdy-Ricky Pearsall connection to start heating up again, so its a good sign hes finally healthy after a long recovery.