San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will miss the entire 2026 season due to a right knee injury, general manager John Lynch announced. According to ESPN reporter Nick Wagoner, the typical recovery timeline for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) surgery ranges from six to 12 months, with the optimal recovery window landing near the nine-month mark.
### General Manager John Lynch Confirms Season-Ending Surgery
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch stated on Saturday that Ricky Pearsall will be placed on the season-ending injured reserve list to undergo a surgical procedure on his right knee. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the organization expects Pearsall to make a full recovery in time for the 2027 season.
The medical decision follows persistent swelling and discomfort in Pearsall’s right knee. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster noted on Friday that the team had been evaluating the wide receiver after he aggravated the PCL issue during early training camp practices, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Team officials initially weighed several treatment paths, including whether an immediate procedure would sideline the young receiver for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.
### Medical Background and Prior Knee Injury History
Ricky Pearsall originally suffered the PCL injury during Week 4 of the 2025 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Before that initial setback, Pearsall posted a strong start to his sophomore campaign, recording 281 receiving yards across his first three games, which included 100-yard performances against the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals.
The injury flared up later in the year, forcing Pearsall to miss two of the final four regular-season games as well as a playoff victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. Across his final seven appearances of the 2025 season, he accumulated 247 receiving yards, concluding with a Divisional Round playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, Pearsall is now set to play a total of just 20 games across his first three professional seasons once the 2026 campaign concludes.
### Roster Adjustments and Remaining Wide Receiver Depth
To address the sudden roster vacancy created by Pearsall’s placement on injured reserve, the San Francisco 49ers officially signed veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel to a one-year contract, according to team announcements on Saturday.
The team’s wide receiver corps for the season includes Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, Christian Kirk, and DeMarcus Robinson. Among that group, Christian Kirk is also managing a calf injury that has limited his participation during the early stages of training camp, according to reports from The Athletic.
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