49ers Notebook: Ricky Pearsall makes his way back to the field; Skyy Moore relives his big kick return; Kyle Juszczyk reaches career milestone

Sunday was a big day on a number of fronts for the San Francisco 49ers, who not only came away with a much-needed 41-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals but now have their offense nearly intact for the stretch run.

The win was important for the now 7-4 49ers as they aim to keep pace in the NFC playoff picture, but it was also the first time since Week 1 that the team had its key offensive pieces healthy (with the exception of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who continues to heal from a significant knee injury). It showed up on the scoreboard with five touchdowns and 41 points.

The return game chipped in as well on Sunday, as specialist Skyy Moore finally broke free for the type of big run that he seemed close to making on more than one occasion in recent weeks.

We're going to talk about those high points and more in this edition of 49ers Notebook, as well as one aspect of the game the defense would like to forget. Plus we'll have quotes from fullback Kyle Juszczyk on a big career milestone, George Kittle's thoughts on a player who is emerging as the team's top rookie, and more. Let's get into it...

Happy returns for Ricky Pearsall

He may not have had a catch on Sunday, but it was nonetheless great for 49ers fans to see wide receiver Ricky Pearsall back in action after missing six games due to a knee injury.

Pearsall started the season with 21 catches for 327 yards in four games, with two games of more than 100 receiving yards. He seemed well on his way towards a 1,000-yard receiving season and was solidifying himself as a number one receiving option before the injury derailed his momentum.

Pearsall finally got the green light to return to game action on Sunday and couldn't have been happier to do so.

"I was really excited, obviously," Pearsall told reporters after the game. "Being out of this game, it was pretty difficult for me. All I know is football. So being out here with my guys brings me a lot more joy."

Pearsall's teammates were thrilled to see him back as well. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was clearly excited about Pearsall's return.

"So awesome," Juszczyk said. "So great to have Ricky out there. And I know we're going to get a lot more big plays from Ricky going forward. I'm sure he wanted some more today, but it's just great to get him back out there, get a feel for things. He's going to be a big, big part of this offense the rest of the season."

Pearsall told reporters his knee "felt really good" out on the field, which is something head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed to agree with.

"I didn't see any rust. I thought Rick had a good game," Shanahan said. "I'll see more on the film, but it seemed like Rick played pretty well."

Pearsall will surely produce more in the weeks ahead, but just having him back will make a difference for the offense. Pearsall gives defenses a threat they have to account for, and the 49ers a player they can go to for big plays downfield.

"I think Ricky is the best man beater that we have on this team," Juszczyk said. "I think defenses have to play a little bit differently when he's out there because when you get close to him, when you make it a shorter field, he can really take advantage of that."

The puzzle is (nearly) complete

With Pearsall back, as well as quarterback Brock Purdy, who made his first start since Week 4 due to turf toe, the 49ers fielded an offense that looked like what they had envisioned to start the season. Pearsall, Purdy, George Kittle, and wide receiver Jauan Jennings have been among those to get hit with the injury bug during the season, but on Sunday they were back together on the field for the first time since Week 1. The difference showed up on the scoreboard.

"It felt awesome," Juszczyk said. "It felt good. That's how we planned for this thing to be. When all our guys were together, we planned on being this high-scoring offense, this efficient offense, one we thought could carry this team. It's a great testament that the first chance we got, we went out there and put up 41 points."

Offensive lineman Dominick Puni added, "It felt good... It's been fun all season, but getting Brock back and getting Ricky back, the vibes they bring -- especially Ricky, he's a happy-go-lucky guy, he brings good vibes to the huddle. Anytime you get 13 back there, he's just a man. You saw what he did today. What'd he have, three touchdown passes? That's just who he is. He's a superstar, and we love to have him back there."

As mentioned, the 49ers are still without Aiyuk, whose return date remains uncertain. But with a shorthanded defense that won't be getting major reinforcements, the offense will need to carry the team down the stretch, which makes it important for all the pieces to be back together the way they finally were in Arizona on Sunday.

200 and counting

Sunday marked the 200th regular season game of Juszczyk's career, which served as a special moment for the 34-year-old fullback.

For Juszczyk, who played the first 64 games of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday's game was a testament to his longevity as well as a moment to appreciate being with the team he wants to be a part of. There was doubt after the 2024 season that Juszczyk would be back with the 49ers this year, but the two sides got a deal done in March to put him under contract for two more seasons.

"It was a special game for me for a couple of reasons -- number one being my 200th regular season game," Juszczyk said. "Number two, I remember standing here last year after we played our final game not knowing if I'd play for the Niners again. It's just wild how much has changed since that time and how appreciative I am that I am back here and I'm back with this team and I'm on this journey with them. And I just couldn't be happier."

Jennings was excited to learn about Juszczyk's milestone, then gave him some props for what makes him a player people can look up to.

"Seriously? Shout out 44 man!" Jennings said of Juszczyk, who had two catches for 26 yards on Sunday. "200? That's big man. My dawg, he caught a great catch today too up and down the sideline. Wish I could have got that block so he could have more. But Juice being Juice, that's what he does, consistently day in and day out. That's why he's a player the way he is. The way he prepares day in and day out, any rookie should look up to Juice if you want to excel your game."

50 and counting

Juszczyk wasn't the only player to hit a milestone on Sunday. Another was Kittle, whose two touchdown catches put him at 50 for his career.

Kittle's 50 touchdowns are good for fifth in the all-time franchise record books.

"He's been here since I've been here," said Shanahan, who was hired as head coach just months before the 49ers drafted Kittle in 2017. "So it's been awesome nine years with him. He's a Hall of Fame tight end, keeps padding those stats and still playing at an extremely high level."

Pearsall said of Kittle, "It was really good to see, honestly. George is a Hall of Fame player. He's my locker mate, too. He's always telling me to stay positive each and every day. He's one of those explosive players, and it's super cool to be able to line up next to him."

Juszczyk, who like Kittle joined the 49ers in 2017, has been with Kittle every step of the way and was noticeably proud when discussing his friend's accomplishment.

"Man, it's been awesome," Juszczyk said. "I don't think I'll fully appreciate what an awesome run it's been until ten years down the road when we're old and talking about it. But I feel I've genuinely been playing with a Hall of Fame player, one I can call one of my best friends. And I'm just so proud of him. He's so consistent. Every week he comes out and he's just a dynamic player -- one that can make really big plays."

Skyy Moore's big start

Return specialist Skyy Moore has been close to breaking a big kick return in recent weeks, and on Sunday he did what the 49ers brought him into do -- return a kick for a touchdown... almost.

Moore, who came to the 49ers in a preseason trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for a late-round pick swap, opened the game with a 98-yard kickoff return. Usually a return of that length results in a touchdown, but Moore wound up getting caught at the last minute.

"I was running out of gas," Moore said Sunday. "I looked at the board and I saw somebody getting close. So I tried to jump at the end, and it didn't work. We'll get it next time."

Still, Moore's return marked a huge start for the 49ers, which gave them momentum that helped them build a 13-0 lead. Quick starts have eluded the 49ers in recent weeks, but they couldn't have gotten off to a much quicker start than they did on Sunday, having jumped out to a 7-0 lead less than 30 seconds into the game after Christian McCaffrey ran into the end zone from one yard out after the kick return.

"That's huge," Purdy said. "I mean, I think this whole season, the way Skyy hits it, like, we were all just waiting for him to have a big one. And so, nothing was different with this one. He obviously hit it and then when it got caught on the one, we were like, dang it, like we wanted it for him. But that set the the tone for the whole game, really. You know, going out, scoring right away with 15 seconds on the clock, and then our next drive scoring. So, shout out to Skyy, man, that's huge."

Kittle claimed after the game that he more or less called Moore's return when talking on the sidelines to offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

"I'm not lying," Kittle said. "I was sitting on the sideline next to Colton McKivitz and I was like, 'Just be so nice if he just housed this right now.' And he started to return, and we looked at each other, we were like, 'That works, too!' But, you know, we all need Christian McCaffrey touchdowns in our life, so that's why he got tackled, just for Christian McCaffrey fantasy owners. That's what it was for."

The Cardinals kicked away from Moore on their next kickoff, which he took as a compliment, even though he would have preferred to have the ball come in his direction.

"That felt kind of good, but I don't like that I don't get another opportunity," Moore said. "But I felt like they were showing a little bit of respect, for sure."

Between Moore and running back Brian Robinson Jr., the 49ers have been able to make waves in the kick return department this season. Robinson had a 46-yard return earlier in the season, but Moore was the one to finally take a kickoff nearly to the house.

"All season I feel like we've been like one block away or one something away," Moore said. "Like I might have missed a hole that might have been an opp. But it was like everything played out perfect for this one today."

High praise from a veteran leader

It's been a mixed bag this season for the 49ers draft class, who have had multiple players contribute, sometimes in an up-and-down fashion, and multiple players miss extended time due to injury. But the player who continues to draw rave reviews is defensive tackle Alfred Collins, who is establishing himself as a fixture on the defensive line.

Collins got off to a slow start with the 49ers as he was slowed due to injuries in the offseason and preseason, but he has come on as the season has progressed. Kittle singled out Collins during his post-game press conference when speaking about defensive players who stood out to him on Sunday.

"I can't get over Alfred Morris and his effort on every single play," Kittle said. "Like, it's one of the things that stands out to me the most."

Kittle may have confused Collins with former 49ers running back Alfred Morris at first, but he corrected himself and pointed out why Collins has been impressive.

"Great guy, Alfred Morris, loved him," Kittle said. "But Alfred Collins, his effort on every single play is just, you see it because I'm used to watching Bosa [Nick Bosa] and Fred [Warner], like that's who I usually watch. But now I'm just like watching the D-line and I just kind of pick and choose. But Alfred has just stood out to me in his constant effort of no matter where the ball is, he's just chasing it down. And I really appreciate that from a young player."

A milestone the 49ers might not like

One of the few aspects of Sunday's game that the 49ers may quibble about is the record that was broken by Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who set a new NFL mark with 47 completions in a single game.

In a game where the Cardinals were constantly throwing while battling from behind, Brissett completed 47 of 57 passes for 452 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The fact that Brissett set a new completions record was news to Kyle Shanahan.

"I didn't know that, but it felt like that at times," Shanahan said. "I got a lot of respect for Jacoby every time we've played him, which I feel like it's like three times in the last couple years. I think we were expecting him versus Washington a few years ago. He didn't end up playing, but he always looks like that on tape. He looked like that all week studying him and looked like that in person. He made a few of those big throws down the field where we were hitting him as he let it go and he hung in there. A real tough player and a guy I got a lot of respect for."

Brissett made it clear after the game that he couldn't care less about the record and would have much rather won the football game.

"I'll throw for three yards and win right now," Brissett said. "I genuinely feel that way."