Right now, the San Francisco 49ers wideout is focused on this season, and last month shared his goals for 2020. And they don't include passing yards, touchdowns, or any other statistical feat.
"To play free, without anything holding me back," Pettis said. "... Going in every day, and getting to a point to where, coming into practice or the weight room or whatever, getting to a point to where I know that I got better ... You need to get to the breaking point each day and get past that. That's kind of how I would measure my goals for this year."
Pettis has impressed his coaches since the start of training camp. That's good because his number may come up on Sunday during the 49ers' opener against the Arizona Cardinals. The chances of that happening may increase, depending on the statuses of Deebo Samuel (foot) and Brandon Aiyuk (hamstring). Both are returning from injuries.
"With two receivers being day-to-day, we're ready for any situation with the receivers," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters before Wednesday's practice. "Whether Dante is going to play a lot, play a little, he's kind of in the same boat with about four other guys."
San Francisco made Pettis a second-round pick out of Washington in 2018. He caught 27 passes for 467 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, raising expectations for his sophomore campaign. Pettis hauled in just 11 passes for 109 yards with two scores last season.
Still, Shanahan has been impressed with the work Pettis put in this offseason and the effort he has shown since reporting to training camp.
"What I can say is that Dante is so much more prepared right now for the season than he was last year at this time," Shanahan continued. "Just the work that he put in while he was away, the stuff I said earlier in the year, but it definitely hasn't changed.
"Everyone battled through camp, and had some good days, some bad days. But Dante was so prepared for camp, fought through camp, the tough days, and I think took a number of steps forward as a receiver. And whether he gets his opportunity this week or some other time throughout the year, he's put himself in a position to have a chance to be successful."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers vs. Colts: Kyle Shanahan says Ricky Pearsall doesn't need practice to play
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall missed his second straight practice this week, with just one remaining, as the team prepares for its Monday night matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Pearsall suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's win over the Tennessee Titans... -
49ers QB Brock Purdy shuts down reporter's question about Kyle Shanahan's play calling
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, hot off earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, cracked a smile during Wednesday's media availability, clearly amused by a specific line of questioning. After recounting the communication issue against the Indianapolis... -
49ers' Brock Purdy reacts to Kyle Shanahan calling Colts performance 'close to perfect'
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan praised quarterback Brock Purdy after his five-touchdown outing in Monday night's 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts. "He did awesome, man," Shanahan said. "Played really well. I got on him for a couple he missed, but it was... -
Kyle Shanahan evaluates Caleb Williams ahead of 49ers-Bears showdown
The San Francisco 49ers are facing the Chicago Bears for the second straight year. In 2024, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad came away with a dominant 38-13 victory at Levi's Stadium, and aim to repeat that success on Sunday night as they continue their push toward the...