Why Pearsall loves playing for 49ers ‘mastermind’ Shanahan

Why Pearsall loves playing for 49ers ‘mastermind’ Shanahan originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As Ricky Pearsall’s rookie NFL season nears its end, the 49ers wide receiver couldn’t be happier to be playing for coach Kyle Shanahan.

The 24-year-old broke out for 141 receiving yards in Monday night’s 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions, and after the game, Pearsall shared with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt what he enjoys about playing under Shanahan.

“He’s a mastermind,” Pearsall told Britt. “We’ve developed a really good relationship throughout this time, and he’s one of the best to do it. Even before I got on the team, I was already knowing about Coach Shanahan and his offense, and how creative he can get and the ways that he can put guys in different positions to get them involved.”

49ers CEO Jed York laid any doubts about Shanahan’s future with the team to rest before Monday’s game, telling The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami that the coach and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch are “not going anywhere” despite a dismal 2024 NFL season.

The 49ers have dealt with plenty of adversity during the down year, however, including countless injuries to star players and heartbreaking off-field incidents — including an attempted armed robbery of Pearsall in August which left the receiver recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

But it’s clear Pearsall is glad to know Shanahan’s future is safe — after all, the coach factored heavily into the decision to draft Pearsall No. 31 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He showed what San Francisco saw in him during Monday’s loss, hauling in eight receptions on 10 targets with one touchdown.

And after a slow start following plenty of adversity, it appears that choice could end up paying off for both player and coach.

“He’s one of the best to ever do it, so I’m super excited to continue to work with him,” Pearsall told Britt.

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