49ers Star Kyle Juszczyk Sends Encouraging Words for Ricky Pearsall

Kyle Juszczyk is a great teammate.

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) looks on before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There’s nothing worse for a player than having their season end before it starts. That’s exactly what has occurred for Ricky Pearsall.

The San Francisco 49ers will not have him on hand, as he will be getting surgery for his injured PCL from last season. Pearsall tried to let it heal during the offseason with the hope he’d be ready for the season.

Unfortunately, it didn’t play out that way. Now he will have spent three seasons playing only 20 games. It’s brutal, and I’m sure it can get depressing for him. Thankfully, he has teammates like Kyle Juszczyk who care for him.

On Monday, Juszczyk was asked at his press conference if he had spoken to Pearsall once the news broke about his surgery. He confirmed he had and went on to send words of encouragement for Pearsall. 

Juszczyk offers Pearsall support

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) celebrates after the game against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It’s just really unfortunate with how things have played out for him,” said Juszczyk. “I feel for him so hard because I know it's frustration. He knows that he can be a really good wide receiver in the NFL. And he’s shown it. He’s had some incredible games, but he’s just been held back by these injuries in the NFL. I know how that feels. 

“You just want to show the world that ‘I can do this,’ but it keeps getting taken from him. I just try to tell him that his story’s not over. He’s gonna go get it fixed this year, and he’ll come back next year healthy, nothing to restrict him, and he can go out there and do what he knows he can.”

This was an awesome and encouraging message from Juszczyk to Pearsall. You can only imagine what he said to him on the phone. It had to have moved Pearsall, even if just a little bit.

Although I wouldn't blame Pearsall for feeling numb to Juszczyk’s words. He was really hoping for 2026 to be a big one for him. Rather, he needed it to be.

He needed to be healthy and perform so that he could finally live up to his first-round status. Now, it’s more of the same for him. He’s out for the season due to an injury requiring surgery.

Pearsall will never shake his injury-prone title now, and when he returns, he’ll be facing a crossroads with his NFL career.

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