“He may have been the greatest football player of all time.” Former head coach George Seifert’s tribute to Jerry Rice still echoes across 49ers history. Rice’s 127th touchdown at Candlestick Park shattered Jim Brown’s all-time scoring record, cementing a hall-of-fame legacy that inspired owner Jed York to push for his statue outside Levi’s Stadium. Yet, when his son tried out for the team, nostalgia took a back seat. Bloodlines alone could not secure a roster spot.

Decimated by injuries after three grueling weeks of football, the 49ers brought in emergency talent for Tuesday’s workouts in Santa Clara. Jerry’s son, Brenden, joined wide receivers Dante Pettis, Malik Turner, Brady Boyd, and Quentin Skinner, defensive backs Cobee Bryant, Corey Ballentine, and Sam Webb, and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Despite the local media buzz surrounding Brenden, San Francisco opted for a proven system fit, officially signing veteran Dante Pettis to the practice squad.

“Dante Pettis is the one the 49ers are signing to the practice squad, a source confirms,”  NBC Sports Bay Area insider Matt Maiocco confirmed the official move on Tuesday on X. “He posted a photo of himself in a 49ers uniform on social media.”

This urgent need at wide receiver comes as a wave of injuries hits the 49ers’ pass-catching room entering Week 4 of the 2026 season. Ricky Pearsall remains out for the season following knee surgery, while rookie De’Zhaun Stribling faces about 10 weeks on the sideline with an ankle injury. And with Mike Evans also nursing a rib issue, Kyle Shanahan needs additional depth in the pass-catching department. Maiocco originally reported on X that the San Francisco 49ers auditioned 9 free agents at their facility, giving coaches a wide look at available free agents.

Naturally, Brenden Rice drew the most attention, and a potential signing brought undeniable excitement in the Bay Area, as it would’ve been somewhat of a family reunion. 

Yet, lineage doesn’t register target volume in the NFL. Despite compiling 1,821 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns across four college seasons at Colorado and USC, 24-year-old Brenden Rice has yet to record an official NFL stat. Selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft by the Chargers, his early professional journey has been a turbulent tour of practice squads, including a brief summer stint in Green Bay before his release in late July.

Dante Pettis, on the other hand, represents proven local familiarity. Originally drafted by San Francisco in the second round in 2018, where he posted 467 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, the 30-year-old veteran returns after stints with the Giants, Bears, and Saints. In eight games with New Orleans last season, Pettis snagged nine catches for 127 yards while taking significant snaps on special teams.

That instant, low-maintenance reliability is exactly what Kyle Shanahan demands right now. Paired with the recent practice squad addition of veteran Brandin Cooks on September 23, San Francisco’s front office is clearly prioritizing immediate, scheme-ready insurance over developmental sentimentality.

The Niners are currently 3-0 and contending for the top seed in the NFC while being part of one of the toughest conferences in football. In a Super Bowl championship window, an emergency regular-season signing cannot afford a multi-week onboarding curve. This is perhaps where Dante Pettis edges out Brenden. While Jerry Rice has yet to publicly comment on his son’s release, the decision could make for a few awkward conversations the next time the Hall of Famer visits the house he helped build.

Flash 80 was selected as a first-team All-Pro 10 times during his NFL career. The All-Time NFL leading WR in terms of targets, receptions, and receiving yards, receiving TDs, and receiving 1st downs, won 3 Super Bowls during his 16-year career in the Bay Area. His legacy also made 49ers owner Jed York face the most obvious question: Will Jerry Rice get a statue of his own?

“Let’s commission it,” York told Kay Adams at Radio Row.

York’s comments came in response to Rice stating earlier this year that he would “love” to have a statue outside Levi’s Stadium.