SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Lying in a hospital bed 24 hours after he was shot through the chest during a suspected armed robbery, Ricky Pearsall had two questions for anyone who came into his orbit: Will I survive? If so, will I be able to play football again?

The answer to the first question came quickly, and doctors assured Pearsall that he would survive despite his significant injury. The answer to the second question required multiple tests and a long, difficult night.

And although doctors informed Pearsall on the morning of September 1 that the receiver position for the San Francisco 49ers could still be in his future, the real answer came on Sunday, when he donned his red No. 14 jersey over his shoulder pads drew and played in his first NFL regular season game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was a moment that lasted 50 days.

“It meant everything,” Pearsall said, speaking publicly for the first time since the shooting. “After all the adversity I've been through over the last few months, obviously it was really good to go out there with my guys again. The guys and the coaches in that locker room, the whole staff, they've done a really good job making sure that I stayed up, and that was a great blessing for me.”

Pearsall's road back to the football field may have been shorter than anyone on the Niners originally expected, but it wasn't entirely unexpected considering how quick his recovery was at every step of the process.

On August 31, Pearsall was shopping in the Union Square district of downtown San Francisco when a 17-year-old high school student from nearby Tracy, California, tried to rob him, according to police reports. An altercation ensued in which both Pearsall and the suspect were shot. Pearsall was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where his condition was considered “serious but stable.”

As Pearsall described his feelings from that day after Sunday's game against the Chiefs, he smiled when he heard about a visit from Niners general manager John Lynch, who was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital.

“I probably burst into tears when I saw him,” Pearsall said. “Just because it was a little different, knowing I couldn't play Week 1… I was super excited and just the way it went made me a little emotional. But seeing him there, That's when everything came together.

While Pearsall recognized he would likely miss some time, he and the Niners also recognized how lucky he was. The bullet that hit him was “through and through,” meaning it entered the front right side of his chest and exited the back.

After some overnight tests and X-rays to ensure there was no major nerve damage, Pearsall was released the next day without surgery. He was placed on the non-football injured list, meaning he had to miss at least four games before he could return.

But Pearsall was back at the Niners' facility less than 48 hours after he was shot and quickly worked his way back onto the field. Pearsall said Sunday the biggest physical hurdle in his recovery was scar tissue around the wound. This collection of scar tissue, according to Pearsall, was located under his armpit and could be found from his chest to his back.

From then on, it was a matter of regaining full mobility in his right arm and shoulder. When that happened a few weeks ago, the Niners and Pearsall finally felt comfortable opening his 21-day practice window.

That started last Monday and provided an immediate boost of energy for the Niners team, which cruised to a win in Seattle on Thursday night.

“We celebrated that with him most of the week,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It was great to have him back. We were great in training and he would feel a little more comfortable today… Great to have him back.”

Even though third receiver Jauan Jennings was sidelined with a hip injury, the 49ers planned to bring Pearsall back into action in his first game on Sunday. Those plans began to change early when receiver Deebo Samuel left after four snaps due to illness. They changed dramatically when Brandon Aiyuk left the team with what the team feared was a torn ACL in his right knee.

“It meant everything. “Obviously, despite all the adversity I've been through over the last few months, it felt really good to get back out there with my boys… When the incident first happened, the first thing I thought of was the boys and.” The coaches in that locker room, the whole staff, they did a really good job making sure I stayed up and that was a huge blessing for me.”

49ers WR Ricky Pearsall

If Aiyuk misses this season, as expected, Pearsall should have plenty more chances to improve on the three catches for 21 yards he had against the Chiefs.

“He runs really good routes, really fast, explosive,” tight end George Kittle said. “The NFL is a land of opportunity. Injuries happen, things happen and who will rise to the challenge? Who will rise to the occasion and seize the opportunity? This is the NFL.”

With 1:32 left in the first half, quarterback Brock Purdy found Pearsall over the middle for a 6-yard gain. It was a relatively unimpressive first catch, but Kansas City used a timeout immediately afterward to get the ball back before halftime.

This timeout allowed the 49ers fans in attendance to stand and give Pearsall a brief standing ovation. At that moment, Pearsall said the weight of his journey began to sink in as his teammates congratulated him and let him know how proud they were of him.

As the game ended, Pearsall made it clear that he appreciated the support but, above all, was happy to have the chance to do it all again next week.

“Physically I feel great,” Pearsall said, smiling. “I feel like I could play another game now.”