Trent Williams was among those shocked by the weekend incident involving San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco.
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On Tuesday, Williams ended his prolonged holdout and reported to the team, admitting that Pearsall's situation provided extra motivation to return.
"Honestly, to be real, I felt more compelled to come back after that than anything because I've never experienced that in my playing career, to have a teammate shot, so to speak," Williams told reporters. "So in my mind, I just want to get back, get around the team."
Williams shared that Pearsall immediately stood out during organized team activities (OTAs), recalling how the rookie went out of his way to introduce himself.
"Obviously, we was going to meet each other eventually, but I'm getting there, it's 90 guys on the team just walking out, I kind of don't really know everybody just yet," Williams shared. "So, for him to come up and kind of introduce [himself], and I just instantly felt his vibe, and can just feel he's such a genuine person.
"So as soon as I seen that (the shooting) happen, I just want to get back. I just want to be a voice in his ear, let him know everything's gonna be all right. I'll be there for the team. A lot of people are probably hurt and confused about what happened and thinking, am I next? So I wanted to be around for that."
Williams emphasized the importance of being aware as a professional athlete, noting that fame can sometimes make you oblivious to the harsh realities of the world around you.
"So just always keep that eye out, and just know that there's people out here that don't really value human life, and you just got to be aware of that," Williams added.
Trent was extra motivated to return to the 49ers as soon as possible after the Ricky Pearsall shooting 🥹 pic.twitter.com/0GmwuW9dD5
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 3, 2024