Ricky Pearsall Aggravated Pcl Injury Vs Titans, Leaving Week 16 Status Uncertain

Ricky Pearsall aggravated PCL injury vs Titans, leaving Week 16 status uncertain originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall paid the price for coming up with an important third-down conversion as the 49ers held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Pearsall aggravated a right knee injury that sidelined him for six games earlier this season, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on a conference call with Bay Area reporters on Monday.

“He landed on his knee and it’s a painful thing,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully, it’s not at all like when he first did it. But it does take time for that pain to go away. Hopefully, that’ll be sooner than later over these next eight days.”

The 49ers are back in action in Week 16 against the Colts on Monday night in Indianapolis.

Shanahan said he is not sure if Pearsall will be able to practice this week or play on Monday due to knee and ankle injuries. The 49ers return to practice on Wednesday.

Pearsall sustained an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament in the 49ers’ Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars when he landed hard on his right knee. He returned to action seven weeks later.

Pearsall caught six passes for 96 yards in the 49ers’ 37-24 victory over the Titans on Sunday. He again banged his right knee on a 12-yard reception to convert a third-and-11 situation. That play helped set up Eddy Piñeiro’s 40-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining in the game.

Pearsall avoided a high-ankle sprain at the end of an 8-yard reception on the 49ers’ first play of the game when rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr. dragged him down.

Winston, who was not penalized on the play, appeared to make an illegal hip-drop tackle. Winston is likely to get fined, as he was earlier this season for a similar tackle against New England.

“No doubt,” Shanahan answered when asked if Winston was guilty of a hip-drop tackle. “That one will be an easy one for them to see. That’s the definition of one.”

Left guard Spencer Burford, who sat out the final nine plays of the game with knee and ankle issues, checked out fine, Shanahan said. Burford should be available to practice this week.

The 49ers expect the following players who sat out Sunday’s game to be cleared to practice: Defensive linemen Jordan Elliott (knee) and Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), and linebackers Tatum Bethune (ankle) and Eric Kendricks (calf). Kendricks is a veteran whom the 49ers signed to the practice squad three weeks ago.

Defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) will resume practice this week. The 49ers opened his practice window as he aims to return off injured reserve.

Rookie linebacker Nick Martin remains in the NFL’s return-to-play concussion protocol, Shanahan said.

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