SANTA CLARA – Ricky Pearsall switched to a nifty double move and made arguably the 49ers’ biggest catch last game.
“It was a huge play,” coach Kyle Shanahan recalled Friday of that third-and-long conversion, which ignited a scoring drive just before halftime in Cleveland.
The 49ers would score the game’s final 19 points in their 26-8 win on Nov. 30. But neither Pearsall’s catch nor any of his other 24 receptions this season have produced touchdowns.
The 49ers could require greater production from Pearsall and other wide receivers this Sunday against Tennessee, seeing how running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to play through an illness.
“When you start worrying about other things, that’s when you can drive yourself nuts. I try not to do that,” Pearsall said. “I try to know what I can control and that’s being available when I can for Brock, showing up on those third downs when I can, and making plays when they come my way to help this team win.
“Ultimately when we see a ‘W’ on the board, that’s all that matters. I don’t care about the stats or whatever.”
Shanahan echoed that stance, adding that he doesn’t personally give receivers votes of confidence unless the media is hounding them, and as for Pearsall, Shanahan said: “No need for me to explain anything. He understands it.”
Shanahan, back in Cleveland almost two weeks ago, went with his gut, eschewed a clock-killing run play, and made Pearsall the No. 1 option for Brock Purdy on third-and-10 from the 49ers’ 35 with 27 seconds until halftime. “It was an unbelievable route,” Shanahan said.
Pearsall’s shift to a “perfect” double move forced Purdy to delay his throw, a “four-hitch” effort in which the 49ers’ offensive line gave him just enough time to hit Pearsall. “All stars aligned,” Shanahan said of the drive that ended with a 25-yard field goal off the post.
As for touchdowns, Jauan Jennings accounts for all five among 49ers wide receivers this season, the same amount as McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.
That’s not helping anyone overlook Brandon Aiyuk’s season-long absence.
Pearsall’s sophomore season started with 100-yard efforts in two of the first three games. Then came a knee injury in Week 4 that shelved him for six games. In three games since his return, he’s produced: one catch for no gain, two catches for six yards, two catches for 14 yards.
“Being a receiver, sometimes the ball doesn’t come your way,” Pearsall said. “There are different coverages that have to be right. He’s got to be able to see you. You have to beat your defender. There are a bunch of variables that go into being open, getting the ball thrown to you and making a play. … I’ve just got to stay ready.”
The roster’s other four receivers can relate. In the past three games coinciding with Purdy’s return, Demarcus Robinson has their only other two receptions, while Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore have been shut out, and rookie Jordan Watkins has been inactive.
A year removed from a serious knee injury, Aiyuk has stayed away this season, including from this week’s team photo.
“At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s coming back,” Kittle said. “I try my best not to think about it. I love Brandon. … I wish he was here. It kind of just makes me sad, so I just push it to the side. Look, we have to make due with what we have in the locker room, and the guys that want to be here are here.”
Kittle noted the 49ers’ thrived, especially in the run game, when Aiyuk paired with Jennings as physical, down-field blockers. As for Aiyuk’s receiving ability, Kittle recalls how “he can run 22 mph then stop on a dime, then jump 40 inches with a freakishly long wing span and catch any ball you throw to him. That by itself puts him in a class of his own. That’s why you paid him $30 million (a year).”
The 49ers, however, voided Aiyuk’s 2026 guarantees of $27 million back in July, reportedly for failing to abide by their rehabilitation plan. Purdy, while declining to stray into Aiyuk’s off-field business, still highly regards his on-field presence, or what it was.
“Aiyuk is, he’s a baller, he makes plays. In man-to-man matchups, he does a great job of creating separation and he’s an explosive player,” Purdy said. “You get the ball in his hands and he can go get YAC and bring juice to the offense when he is in and run blocking. Aiyuk has so many clips of getting in and blocking linebackers and safeties and corners and running down field with a running back and blocking guys. Like, he did it all at receiver.”
LINEBACKER OUTLOOK
Curtis Robinson is poised to start his third straight game at middle linebacker in place of Tatum Bethune, who remains out with a high ankle sprain. Both have tried covering for All-Pro Fred Warner, who required right-ankle surgery almost two months ago.
“Curtis is no different than all of them in terms of size, length, foot speed, all that stuff,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “He just happens to be really good at calling the defense, and he creates a calm in there.”
Robinson has nine tackles over his two combined starts, after 12 in the Nov. 16 win at Arizona where Bethune got hurt.
INJURY REPORT
Out Sunday are defensive linemen Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) and Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring; injured reserve); linebackers Tatum Bethune (ankle) and Nick Martin (concussion); and quarterback Kurtis Rourke (reserve/non-football-injury list). Bethune and fellow linebacker Nick Martin (concussion) ran on the side but did not practice this week, nor did recent practice-squad addition Eric Kendricks (calf).
The Titans ruled out only cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (Achilles) but listed three offensive linemen as questionable: center Lloyd Cushenberry (foot), left tackle Dan Moore (neck), and guard Kevin Zeitler (groin; did not practice Friday). Also questionable are defensive end C.J. Ravenell (toe) and linebacker James Williams (illness).
SALEH’S PROSPECTS
The Titans are in the market for a new coach, with Mike McCoy serving as an interim coach since Brian Callahan’s firing. Shanahan is bracing for Robert Saleh, his defensive coordinator, to leave for a head coach post like four years ago with the New York Jets.
Saleh returned this year after rebuffing offers elsewhere. “Robert had a lot of opportunity to be a D-coordinator. (The Raiders) was definitely one of them, and he got close to a couple of head coach jobs,” Shanahan said. “He was definitely our first choice and he said we were his. I’m glad he kept his word, or we’d have beef. I hope for us he’s not a head coach next year. But when you have the talent Robert does, it’s a matter of time.”