San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall reflected on making his NFL debut on Sunday after being shot in the chest over the summer.

"When the incident first happened, the first thing I was thinking about was the guys in this locker room, the coaches in the locker room, the entire staff. They did a really good job of rallying around me, making sure I stayed up, and it was a huge blessing for me today," Pearsall told reporters after the 49ers' 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pearsall recorded three catches for 21 yards in his first taste of NFL action. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday that the team didn't originally intend for Pearsall to return in Sunday's Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs, but a full week of practice opened the door for the 2024 No. 31 pick to get back onto the field just 50 days after being shot in the chest during an alleged armed robbery attempt.

Pearsall said one of his first thoughts after the incident was about the possibility of continuing his football career.

"Once I knew I was gonna be OK and I was gonna be able to live, the next question became was I gonna be able to play football now," he recalled. "As soon as I got that answer, a light just grew inside of me, and I was super excited to hear that from the doctors."

Now, Pearsall will have the chance to help the 49ers try to make a second straight trip to the Super Bowl. The Florida product will be a strong addition to a receiving corps that also includes Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

However, Aiyuk is feared to have a torn ACL and his status moving forward is uncertain, which could give Pearsall an even bigger role.

San Francisco will try to bounce back next week on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.