Santa Clara, California – Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ rookie receiver who was shot during an attempted robbery last weekend, is expected to recover fully, according to general manager John Lynch.

Pearsall was shot in the chest and hospitalised overnight following the shooting in central San Francisco on Saturday. He was released from the hospital on Sunday and was back at the team’s facility Monday.

The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, which will keep him out for at least four weeks to recover from the gunshot and a shoulder injury that had hindered him all summer.

The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting

“Ultimately, we decided that the best thing for Ricky was to have a little bit of time,” Lynch told reporters Tuesday. “He’ll need that time physically. He’ll need that time, both emotionally and mentally. We made the decision. When we drafted Ricky, we planned for the long term. Ricky is going to be an excellent player here. He’s eager. He was disappointed, but he knew why we had put him on that list and what that entailed.

Lynch stated that Pearsall was extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious injuries as a result of the gunshot. Pearsall was walking alone to his car soon after 3:30 p.m. Saturday when a juvenile suspect tried to rob him with a gun in the Union Square neighborhood, according to police.

Officers in the area responded quickly, providing emergency medical help and arresting the culprit. A witness captured video of Pearsall with a massive chest wound as he was put into an ambulance.

Lynch hailed the San Francisco police, particularly Sgt. Joelle Harrell, the first on the scene, ate Pearsall immediately. He also complimented the doctors at San Francisco General Hospital and the team doctors, trainers, and support staff for their collaboration in assisting Pearsall during a difficult period.

Lynch stated there was no damage to organs, nerves, or ribs, describing it as “through and through.”

“Multiple people down there said this is about as good an outcome as you could have in this situation,” he told me.

That good news was far from clear when Lynch discovered Pearsall had been shot Saturday while shopping for bags after an autograph session.

“The earliest calls that I received were extremely scary: ‘We believe Ricky’s been shot in the chest,'” Lynch admitted. “That’s not usually a favourable result. So that was a rough Saturday. It was a difficult ride down to San Francisco General. I’m really grateful that things worked out as it did.”

The news hit his comrades hard, and they described it as a sobering moment because they didn’t know what had happened to one of their friends.

“It wasn’t great at all,” receiver Jauan Jennings admitted. “I did not want to do anything. I did not want to go anywhere. I was just hoping Rick was okay. Just hearing the excellent news made my day brighter and happier, as did knowing that he’s fine and among us.”

Pearsall could FaceTime his teammates at a team party Saturday night and then see them in person when he returned to the facility on Monday.

“He’s in high spirits,” offensive guard Aaron Banks said. “You can tell something like that shakes you up, and you can see he’s still processing it. But it was fantastic to see him and have him around.

The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting

Pearsall was draughted in the first round by the 49ers in April with the 31st overall pick, but his progress has been hampered by injuries since joining the team.

He missed time during training camp due to hamstring and shoulder concerns, but he returned to practice last week wearing a noncontact blue jersey while his shoulder healed.

Pearsall began his undergraduate career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for the final two seasons. Last season, he recorded 65 catches for 965 yards and four scores for the Gators, and his college career had 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 touchdowns.

SOURCE | AP

More condolences are coming in from the hockey community following the murders of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, who were slain last week by a suspected intoxicated driver while riding their bikes in their home state of New Jersey.

Jaromir Jagr shared a video on social media Tuesday showing Gaudreau assisting on his 766th and last goal in the league while they were teammates with the Calgary Flames in 2018.

“It was a beautiful pass above all,” Jagr stated in Czech. “Unfortunately, life may sometimes be unbearably harsh. Thank you for being here, Johnny Gaudreau, and for giving all those guys faith that they, too, can achieve world-class success in the NHL, as you did. My heartfelt sympathies to your family. R.I.P., you and your brother.

Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns

Donations also kept coming in for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, who is expecting their first child in December. As of 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Madeline’s sister, Holland Korbitz, had put up a GoFundMe page that had been confirmed by the online fundraising organization and raised more than $560,000.

Dozens of current and former NHL players, or their significant others, are among the more than 7,800 donors, including $3,000 from the family of New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and $2,013 from Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, for a total of $567,127 — far exceeding the initial $30,000 goal.

Cliff Rucker, owner of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers HC, where Matthew played two seasons from 2017 to 2019, is recognized as the top gift at $10,000.

“Maddy, the entire Railers HC family stands shoulder to shoulder with you during this incomprehensibly difficult time for you and your loved ones,” Rucker told me. “You and Matty will always be part of our Railer family, and I hope you can feel the love and support we are sending your way.”

The Gaudreau brothers were riding on a road in Oldmans Township on Thursday night when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind at 8 p.m., according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead on the scene.

According to police, Sean M. Higgins, 43, was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with two charges of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. On Tuesday, authorities stated that no other information regarding the case, including Higgin’s blood alcohol level, will be disclosed at this time.

No information was available concerning a funeral or memorial service, either public or private.

“As we embark on the journey of laying John and Matty to rest, we are greatly comforted by all those who have visited these growing memorials and who have left messages of love, prayers, thoughts of kindness as well as jerseys, skates, sticks, pucks, flowers, candles and so many other tokens of remembrance,” Jim Gaudreau, our uncle, wrote on Facebook. “The memorials console us on your doorsteps, yards, and cars. We have heard and seen countless moments of silence and heartfelt messages from so many professional athletes, organizations, and other athletic leagues, as well as every single person in private, as well as extremely heartfelt messages from broadcasts, media, and every one of you, as well as random acts of kindness and compassion by strangers.

On Friday, fans in Columbus created a tribute outside the Blue Jackets’ downtown arena using hockey sticks, flowers, and other keepsakes. Flames fans in Calgary, Alberta, paid tribute with words and Gaudreau’s number 13 scribbled in chalk on the ground outside the Saddledome.

Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns

The Blue Jackets have invited supporters to a candlelight vigil outside Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night. The event will include brief words from team personnel and 13 minutes and 21 seconds of silent commemoration for Johnny and Matthew’s jersey numbers.

The Blue Jackets’ general manager, Don Waddell, and players will talk with reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Wayne Gretzky revealed over the weekend that the terrible death had crushed him, his wife Janet, and their family.

“We are sending our love, thoughts, and prayers to the Gaudreau family,” Gretzky wrote on social media. “We lost two great young men who were loved and had a significant presence both on and off the ice.” Johnny and Matthew, you will be remembered and missed.

Their deaths on Friday, the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding in Philadelphia, were more than just hockey-related. During ESPN’s college football broadcast of the game Monday night between Florida State and Boston College, where the Gaudreau brothers attended and played hockey together a decade ago, play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen spoke somberly of Johnny and Matthew.

“The entire National Hockey League, as well as the Boston College community and so many others, were devastated Friday when we learnt of the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau,” Wischusen told the crowd. “Our hearts are shattered, and we send every good thought and prayer to their wives, Johnny Gaudreau’s young children, Matthew’s child on the way and all of their family and friends.”

SOURCE | AP

Darlington, South Carolina NASCAR – Chase Briscoe knew he was carrying the entire weight of Stewart-Haas Racing into the final circuits on Sunday night at Darlington Raceway. And he couldn’t be happier.

“I feel like I run better under heavy pressure,” Briscoe remarked. “I love the Game 7, pressure-heavy moment.”

He made a stunning three-wide pass late in the race and held on to win the Southern 500 and qualify for the playoffs, giving Stewart-Haas Racing one final chance to add to its championship legacy before the season ends.

Briscoe and his team enter the postseason relishing the pressure in the final days of the program that won NASCAR championships with Tony Stewart in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2014.

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Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Busch In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs

Briscoe received a call from Stewart, his owner, and drivers approached him to congratulate him on his victory.

Briscoe claimed the lead with a three-wide maneuver over Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain before outrunning two-time series champion Kyle Busch at the finish.

Briscoe drew away on the last restart with 17 laps to hold off Busch, who, like Briscoe, needed a win to make the playoffs.

“We just won the Southern 500!” an emotional Briscoe announced over the vehicle radio.

Briscoe is ready to accomplish more with Stewart-Haas.

“Yeah, this group, the day we found out that the team wasn’t going to exist anymore, we went over to the shop board, looked at each other and said, ‘We’re in this to the end,'” Briscoe told me. “All week, I kept saying, ‘We’ve got one bullet left in the chamber.’ “That bullet struck.”

Ty Gibbs and Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing earned the remaining two postseason slots based on points, while Bubba Wallace and Chastain, who were both within 27 points of the cutoff line when the race began, fell short.

Briscoe’s stunning move spoilt Kyle Larson’s great Darlington performance, in which he led 263 laps but could not recover after being passed by the eventual victor. Larson attempted to pass Tyler Reddick for the regular-season points title — and the 15 extra points the leader receives — but fell one point short.

Christopher Bell finished third, followed by Larson, Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Corey LaJoie, and Reddick.

In his final season before retirement, Truex only needed a solid, problem-free run at the “Too Tough To Tame” track to progress. Instead, he placed his fate in the hands of others when he crashed on Lap 3 when his car slipped up and collided with defending NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney.

However, following Larson’s victory in the second stage (he also won the first stage), NASCAR said Truex had secured a position in the 16-driver playoff field.

Bubba Wallace entered the weekend as the first driver out of the playoffs, and he received a boost when he claimed his first Darlington pole Saturday. But, with 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan watching from his pit box, Wallace was involved in a six-car collision 24 laps from the finish line.

Jordan, wearing headphones and watching carefully, threw his hands up and bent his head as he saw Wallace in the wreck.

“I hate that I wasn’t good enough to finish 16th this year,” Wallace remarked. “Stinks saying that, but wasn’t for a lack of effort.”

Busch failed to win for the second week, falling to a fellow winless driver this season. He was defeated by Harrison Burton last week in Daytona.

“Hate it for our guys,” said Busch, who won the championships in 2015 and 2019. “Something to work on and improve for. We just missed a lot early in the year and in the middle of the year by being in this position, on the outside looking in.”

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Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Busch In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs

Reddick’s Race
Tyler Reddick overcame a stomach sickness to defeat Larson in the regular season final. He stated that his son fell ill in Daytona last week, which, as most parents are aware, made Reddick prone to illness.

Reddick felt it coming around midday Friday and assumed it had cleaned up by Sunday. Then, it came in full force as the race started. Reddick thanked his staff for keeping him medicated and hydrated throughout.

“At one point, I was just waiting to puke all over myself,” he told me. “Thankfully, they kept that from happening.”

Playoff field
Reddick earned the regular-season title, while Larson finished second. Chase Elliott leads the remaining playoff drivers, followed by Christopher Bell, William Byron, Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Briscoe, Gibbs, and Truex.

The first round begins in Atlanta and proceeds to Watkins Glen and Bristol before the pitch is reduced to 12.

Honouring Cale
Cale Yarborough, the Hall of Fame driver who died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 84, was honored at his hometown track by Dale Jarrett, who drove the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass that Yarborough used to win his third consecutive Cup Series title in 1978 during pace laps. Yarborough, who grew up a few miles away, won five of the Labour Day weekend crown jewel races at Darlington, behind only Jeff Gordon with six.

SOURCE | AP