Florida Gators in the NFL: Pearsall Incident Puts Gator Nation's Pain in Perspective

About the same time that Billy Napier and the Gators football team walked off Steve Spurrier-Florida Field on Saturday night knowing their season and the program as a whole were on the brink, a former Gator was literally fighting for his life. The insanely scary news of Ricky Pearsall getting shot in a robbery attempt was stunning, and immediately, trivial concerns about a football game gave way to prayers for the safety of one of our own.

Pearsall was attacked by a teenager with a gun while walking down the street in San Francisco. The teen wanted Pearsall’s watch; Pearsall wasn’t willing to give it up. In the subsequent fight, the gun went off a couple of times. Miraculously, the bullet that hit Pearsall went straight through his chest and missed every vital organ. 

It is unbelievable how lucky Pearsall was - the emergency room doctors described it as a one in a million chance. Maybe more stunning is how well Pearsall is doing just days after the shooting. He was released from the hospital on Sunday and was at the 49ers facility on Monday - two days after being shot in the chest!

Rehabbing both physically and mentally from being the victim of gun violence will be extremely hard on Pearsall. It’s going to take every bit of strength he has to recover and get back onto the football field - which he certainly will do at some point, perhaps as soon as week five when he’s eligible to be activated by San Francisco. Again, it’s nothing short of a miracle.

So while Gator Nation deals with the hurricane of pessimism that has engulfed Gainesville after the Gators opened the season in embarrassing fashion, it’s helpful to remember these are just games. When it comes to real physical and emotional trauma, there is no comparison. I’m not discounting how much it sucks to see the championship-caliber football program we’ve known and loved collapse into the abyss, but the dichotomy of events on Saturday night was clarifying as to what’s really important.

LET THE NFL’S REGULAR SEASON BEGIN

With the signing of six players to practice squads, UF will have 38 former players beginning 2024 as members of NFL teams. A handful of veterans are free agents who could return to the league at any moment. 

Here’s a look at who is where and what the expectations should be as the NFL kicks off this week.

MUST-SEE-TV EVERY WEEK

ANTHONY RICHARDSON, QB, IND

All eyes will be on Richardson every week this year. The endless debate about whether he can reach his elite potential given his lack of football reps and some of the flaws in his game should finally be settled. The highs will be breathtaking. Of course, there will be rough patches as well. But if he can stay healthy, he’s going to become one of the faces of the NFL. 

KYLE PITTS, TE, ATL

Pitts is now two years removed from his knee injury and has by all accounts regained his speed and explosion. With all due respect to a washed Matt Ryan, Pitts has the best quarterback he’s ever had throwing him passes. Just listen to how Cousins talks about him.

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx793-j1Nkihe0OLC-X7ow5X04FukU4T1I?si=L7UZFnARAhMq8iPK

At the same time, Pitts is on the injury report ahead of week 1 with a hamstring. Son of a…

ALEX ANZALONE, LB, DET

The heart and soul of Detroit’s defense. The personification of Dan Campbell’s grit. Flip on a Lions game and you can’t help being mesmerized by Anzalone’s luscious blond mop because it’s everywhere. His style of play is frenetic. He’s all over the field on every play. And he’s part of a core that has the Lions as a popular Super Bowl pick.

JONATHAN GREENARD, EDGE, MIN

Greenard’s 12.5 sacks last year were the most by a former Gator in almost a decade. He’ll be looking for the first back-to-back, double-digit sack seasons since Jevon Kearse in 2000 and 2001. In Brian Flores’ attacking defensive scheme, he should get it. 

O’CYRUS TORRENCE, G, BUF

Torrence is looking to build on his All-Rookie team performance from last season. In year two, he should only get better protecting Josh Allen.

C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON, S, PHI

Gardner-Johnson has always been a Pro Bowl trash-talker, and although he’s been close to making it for his on-the-field play a couple of times, he’s still looking for his first selection. He’s back in Philadelphia - the last time we saw him in an Eagles uniform was in Super Bowl 57 - with a whole lot of love for the city and organization and a whole lot of respect and admiration from his teammates.

GERVON DEXTER, DT, CHI

Dexter really came on at the end of last season and is primed for a massive breakout sophomore campaign. With all the attention on the Bears new quarterback and offense, Big Dex is looking to make sure Chicago’s defense keeps pace.

STARTERS IN SUPPORTING ROLES

DEMARCUS ROBINSON, WR, LAR

VAN JEFFERSON, WR, PIT

BRANDON POWELL, WR/PR, MIN

The pass catchers. Robinson is WR3 in an explosive offense, while Jefferson is WR2 in a shaky one. Powell will make his impact returning punts and kicks. 

JAWAAN TAYLOR, OT, KC

TRENT BROWN, OT, CIN

The blockers. Both Taylor and Brown are coming off poor seasons, but their superstar quarterbacks are expecting better from them.

T.J. SLATON, DT, GB

JONATHAN BULLARD, DE, MIN

The big bodies. Slaton and Bullard’s jobs are pretty similar for NFC North rivals - hold stout at the point of attack and allow the playmakers around them free space to make stops.

EVAN McPHERSON, K, CIN

EDDY PIÑEIRO, K, CAR

TOMMY TOWNSEND, P, HOU

The kickers. McPherson got paid this offseason and deservedly so. Piñeiro enters the season as the third-most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history. Townsend has taken his two Super Bowl rings to this year’s Super Bowl sleeper in Houston. 

BACKUPS WHO WILL PLAY

DAMEON PIERCE, RB/KR, HOU

MARCUS MAYE, S, MIA

KAIIR ELAM, CB, BUF

MARCO WILSON, CB, NE

VENTRELL MILLER, LB, JAX

AMARI BURNEY, LB, LV

ZACH CARTER, DT, CIN

TAVEN BRYAN, DT, IND

DANTE FOWLER, DE, WAS

BRENT COX, DE, GB

FRED JOHNSON, OT, PHI

STONE FORSYTHE, OT, SEA

These guys will run the gamut this season from bigger roles - Maye, Elam, Miller - to mostly special teams - Johnson, Cox, Wilson. Pierce is the most fascinating one to watch because I still think a trade is in play and could lead to a chance at recapturing some of his rookie magic.

BACKUPS WHO WON’T PLAY

KYLE TRASK, QB, TB

Trask had his best preseason to date, but barring an injury to Baker Mayfield, he’ll hit free agency in the spring with 10 career regular season passing attempts.

INJURED RESERVE

RICKY PEARSALL, WR, SF

JEREMIAH MOON, LB, PIT

Pearsall and Moon are both eligible to be activated before week 5.

PRACTICE SQUAD

KINGSLEY EGUAKUN, C, DET

LA’MICAL PERINE, RB, GB

MALIK DAVIS, RB, DAL

JUSTIN SHORTER, TE, LV

RICHARD GOURAIGE, OT, BUF

DAVID SHARPE, OT, HOU

Eguakun was a surprise cut in Detroit and will almost certainly be called up to the active roster at some point. Shorter signed with the Raiders as a tight end which was surprising. Sharpe keeps his streak alive - he’s on an active roster or a practice squad for the eighth straight year.

FREE AGENTS

KADARIUS TONEY, WR

TYRIE CLEVELAND, WR

FREDDIE SWAIN, WR

C.J. HENDERSON, CB

D.J. HUMPHRIES, OT

MAX GARCIA, G/C

KEANU NEAL, S

TREY DEAN, S

Toney visited Seattle on Tuesday but has not signed as of yet. The NFL allows teams to sign veteran players to non-guaranteed contracts after week 1. If Toney gets another chance in the league, it will likely be then. Humphries should also find a home while he continues rehabbing from a torn ACL. I’d expect a few of these guys to at least sign to a practice squad, but there is no doubt that some of them have played their final snaps.