San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will miss the entire 2026 season after the team announced he will undergo surgery to repair a posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
General manager John Lynch made the announcement on Saturday. Pearsall, 25, originally injured the knee last season, returned late in the year, but was shut down after just two training camp practices this week due to swelling.
In the same statement, the 49ers confirmed they have re-signed former All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million to fill the vacancy on the roster.
A career defined by bad luck
Pearsall has not been able to stay healthy since being selected 31st overall in the 2024 draft. He missed most of his rookie training camp with a shoulder injury and was then shot during a robbery attempt just before that season began. He recovered to make 31 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.
Last season, a hamstring issue slowed his preseason before he posted 20 catches for 327 yards in his first four games. A knee injury in Week 4 sidelined him for six games, and he managed only five catches for 20 yards in his first three games back. He reaggravated the knee after a strong six-catch, 96-yard performance against Tennessee, missed two of the final three regular-season games and the playoff opener, and was a nonfactor in a divisional round loss to Seattle.
Over two seasons he has totaled 67 catches for 928 yards and three touchdowns in 20 games.
Samuel returns to San Francisco
Samuel spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in the second round in 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl twice and earning All-Pro honors in 2021 when he produced 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. He was traded to Washington in 2025 for a fifth-round pick and posted 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns for the Commanders last season before becoming a free agent in March.
Acting coach Chris Foerster said Friday that getting the ball into Samuel’s hands creates special opportunities for the offense, and that the team would look for as many ways as possible to involve him in the game plan.
Samuel has 406 catches for 5,519 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career. His average of 8.7 yards after the catch ranks first among all receivers with at least 100 receptions since 2019. He has also rushed for 1,218 yards and 21 touchdowns in 97 games.
