Ricky Pearsall gives 49ers a lift with his return. But they lose Brandon Aiyuk to a knee injury

AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers got a lift from rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall making his NFL debut exactly 50 days after being shot in the chest but might have lost starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a significant knee injury.

Pearsall was activated from the non-football injury list on Saturday and was on the field when the 49ers hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch. He came in for his first play on San Francisco’s opening drive and caught his first career pass late in the second quarter.

Pearsall’s return proved to be especially important because the Niners were missing their top three receivers after Aiyuk went down late in the first half with a right knee injury.

Aiyuk was hit on the knee after making a catch and stayed down for a few minutes. He was helped off the field and then carted to the locker room. He was ruled out for the rest of the game, and there was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

Aiyuk, who signed a $120 million, four-year extension in late August following a lengthy contract “hold in,” has 25 catches for 374 yards this season. He was a second-team All-Pro last season when he had 1,342 yards receiving.

San Francisco was already missing No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings, who was out with a hip injury. Their other starting wideout, Deebo Samuel, was reported as sick just before the game. He tried to play but went back to the locker room during the first half after playing only four snaps and was ruled out for the first of the game.

Pearsall returned to practice this past Monday for the first time since he was shot in the chest in San Francisco’s Union Square area on Aug. 31. He was hospitalized overnight but avoided damage to any organs and nerves and was back working out at the team facility the following week.

Pearsall, who was drafted in the first round in April, missed the majority of training camp practices with injuries to his hamstring and shoulder but was on track to be ready for the opener before he was shot.

He began his college career at Arizona State and transferred to Florida for his final two seasons. He had 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Gators and finished his college career with 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 TDs.

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