Rookie wide receiver Dante Pettis' first NFL reception was a touchdown hauled in a 22-yard pass thrown by Jimmy Garoppolo. The last time a 49ers player scored on his first career reception was in 2006 when tight end Vernon Davis did it.

The football Pettis caught currently sits in his locker while he decides what to do with it. Pettis joined KNBR on Wednesday morning and discussed the achievement.


"When you score a touchdown anytime, it's pretty great," Pettis said on the "Murph & Mac" show. "To have the first NFL one is pretty special. I wish it was at a different time or a different outcome, but it's still pretty special."

Pettis had his number called when starting wideout Marquise Goodwin left the game with what head coach Kyle Shanahan called a deep thigh bruise. The rookie receiver didn't have much time to think about the situation. Pettis knew he was Goodwin's backup and ran in to replace the starter.

"I didn't get to play too much with the starters in the preseason, so this was really like my first time going against another starting defense," Pettis said.

The receiver was asked about the play itself and what he thought as it happened.

"I had kind of a crossing route," Pettis responded. "I was going across the middle, and I saw Jimmy roll out, and so I just went to the back of the end zone, and I saw the ball go up into the air. I kind of checked to make sure he wasn't really throwing it to anybody else. I saw there was no one else there and was like, 'Oh, this is to me.'


"I just reached out, caught it, and that was pretty much it."

You can listen to the entire interview with Pettis below.



On Wednesday afternoon, both Shanahan and Garoppolo were asked about Pettis' NFL debut.

"He got thrown in there right away because we lost 'Quise pretty early," Shanahan told reporters. "I thought he did a fairly good job, and he gave us a chance to win that game, and I expect him to be better this week. It was his first game as a pro, and he's been great since he's been here. I think he got thrown into the fire there.

"We knew he was going to play a lot but he got thrown into the fire a little bit more than expected and we're not sure about 'Quise this week, but I know Dante will be ready."


As for Garoppolo's thoughts...

"For him to come out in his first game like that and have that good of an appearance — obviously some things to clean up like all rookies — but for the most part, I was pretty happy with it," the quarterback said. "He's a confident guy, and he plays like that."

Garoppolo discussed Pettis' ability to improvise when plays, like the one that resulted in the score, break down.

"I think he did a good job of finding the open area," Garoppolo said. "There's four guys, I think, all shallow, and nobody was in the back of the end zone. So he just kind of felt it. When those plays break down like that, it's just kind of, not free for all, but everyone's kind of winging it, I guess. You have a game plan of what you wanted to do, but things happen on the run like that."

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