© Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
SANTA CLARA — Dante Pettis could not wait to get back to work.
After nearly four weeks of waiting, as he allowed his injured left knee to heal, Pettis returned to the practice field in limited capacity Wednesday afternoon. The 49ers rookie receiver rated his excitement level as a “100 out of 10.”
Pettis injured his left knee on a punt return in San Francisco’s 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Multiple Chargers players swarmed Pettis, rolling up on his knee awkwardly.
He has never suffered a major injury, so he feared the worst. The nerves mounted prior to his MRI the following day. Fortunately for the 49ers, there was no ligament damage in Pettis’ left knee, though it swelled for the next several days.
Slowly, he worked his way back. Each day, Pettis showed up to the facilities during mornings to work on body alignment with the 49ers training staff. During team practices, Pettis lifted weights and went through slow, deliberate exercises to test his range of motion. He got massages after practice.
It was a tedious process that ate at Pettis, who impatiently watched his teammates play without him. Injuries are a part of football, he says, but that did not make sitting out any easier.
“It’s been pretty rough,” Pettis said Wednesday. “I have never missed a game in my whole life. Having to sit out now was like very bad.”
One of the first breakthroughs in his recovery came last Sunday. He ran 80 yards and opened his strides without feeling tugging in the back of his leg. The next step toward returning to the field was practicing Wednesday.
He said he couldn’t wait to get back. The 49ers can’t, either.
In the three games that Pettis missed, all losses, the 49ers receivers averaged just 126 receiving yards per game. If it wasn’t for Marquise Goodwin’s Week-6 performance, catching four passes for 126 yards with two touchdowns, the lack of numbers would be almost unbelievable. Last game, the 49ers receivers collected just four total catches for 35 yards.
Kyle Shanahan has featured tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the absences of Pettis and Goodwin, who missed games in Week 2 and Week 5. When the passing attack has succeeded, it typically highlighted screen plays and misdirection. Namely, plays near the line of scrimmage.
Goodwin’s return expanded the field in Week 6, and the production followed. Pettis’ return figures to do the same.
“He’s a big-time guy to have back for us,” C.J. Beathard said Wednesday. “He poses threats, whether it be his speed or route-running. He has good hands.”
Even if Pettis returns in Week 8 at Arizona, which won’t be determined until later in the week, the 49ers are unlikely to have a fully healthy receiving corps. Pierre Garçon is battling shoulder and knee injuries. Shanahan said Wednesday the 32-year-old receiver receiver is doubtful to play Sunday.
If he does not, Pettis will see reps in Garcon’s place at the “Z” spot, as opposed to his customary “X” spot, where Goodwin starts. Pettis said there aren’t many differences between the X and Z positions, but it takes time to mentally adjust to a different side.
Pettis has made no secret about the difficulty of learning Shanahan’s byzantine playbook. He has studied during his down time throughout the past three-plus weeks, though he says the playbook is not as easy to digest until Beathard delivers the call in the huddle.
Pettis hopes to hear those commands again this Sunday.
“When you are hurt and not out there, there is not much you want to do besides just play football again,” Pettis said. “That being the first time I was out, I was like, ‘This is terrible. I have to get back on the field.’”