San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Keion White described the experience of being shot during the offseason as traumatic, a sentiment he shared following Super Bowl LX. White, 27, stated that while players may endure injuries like broken ankles, being shot is a different kind of trauma.
"It’s different because it’s trauma instead of just breaking an ankle (on the field)," White said. "Football players don’t just get shot every day. I mean, I guess they do on this team."
White is the second player on the 49ers to be the victim of a shooting in the last two years. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot through the chest during a robbery attempt on August 31, 2024. Pearsall, a rookie at the time, missed the first six games of his season but has since made a full recovery.
White, who has fully recovered from his incident, is active and available for the 49ers' Week 1 game. Reports indicate his shooting occurred after an argument with rapper Lil Baby at a nightclub in San Francisco.
The 49ers organization has faced a series of unusual off-field incidents recently. In addition to the two player shootings, head coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident, and owner Jed York was arrested in a prostitution sting operation. The team is set to face the Los Angeles Rams on September 10 in their Week 1 matchup.