Ricky Pearsall Encourages Teammates to Step Up as 49ers Face WR Challenge Without Him
With the San Francisco 49ers facing a tough situation due to the absence of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, the young star has stepped up to encourage his teammates to rise to the occasion. Pearsall, who has been a key contributor to the 49ers’ offense, is sidelined with an injury, but his positive mindset and leadership remain as strong as ever.
"Look, I’m not going to be out there with you guys, but I know what this team is capable of," Pearsall said in a heartfelt message to his teammates. "It’s next man up, and I’m confident you all will step up and make the plays needed to keep us moving forward."
The 49ers, already with a strong receiving corps, are now tasked with finding ways to fill the void left by Pearsall’s absence. However, Pearsall’s words of encouragement have resonated throughout the locker room, with players like Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle ready to pick up the slack.
"It’s all about the next opportunity," Pearsall continued. "You guys know what to do. I’ve got full faith in each and every one of you. The 49ers are more than just one player—this is a team effort, and we’re going to keep pushing for the win."
Pearsall’s message reflects his dedication to the team and his desire to see them succeed, even if he’s not physically on the field. As the 49ers look to maintain their momentum, Pearsall’s unwavering support and leadership will continue to inspire his teammates.
"We’re in this together," Pearsall concluded. "You’ve got this. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way."
As the 49ers move forward without Pearsall, his influence off the field will undoubtedly continue to fuel their drive toward success.
Caps Hit $2.3 Billion Value - Leonsis’ $85M Investment Pays Off Big
The Washington Capitals are a valuable sports franchise.
Sportico, a leading resource for sports business news, presented its 2025 valuations of every team in the NHL on Wednesday, and the Caps are ranked ninth out of the 32 clubs.
While that ranking may not sound impressive, the valuation certainly is. Sportico estimates the Capitals crossed the $2 billion mark for the first time and are worth $2.3 billion. The franchise’s valuation has increased by 24 percent from the $1.86 billion valuation it received at the same time last year.
Twelve of the 32 NHL franchises are estimated to be worth over $2 billion. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the most valuable in the league, receiving a $4.25 billion valuation from Sportico — worth about $2 billion more than the Capitals.
The New York Rangers ($3.65 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($3.3 billion), Boston Bruins ($3 billion), Los Angeles Kings ($2.96 billion), Edmonton Oilers ($2.76 billion), Chicago Blackhawks ($2.74 billion), and Philadelphia Flyers ($2.66 billion) are the only other teams worth more than the Caps.
The Capitals have now been ranked ninth by Sportico for four consecutive years. They sat eighth in 2021 ($1.17 billion) but were overtaken by the Flyers in 2022. Current owner Ted Leonsis originally paid Abe Polin $85 million for the Capitals franchise in 1999 — overseeing an increase in value of $2.215 billion.
The team is currently executing significant renovations to Capital One Arena, their home building, which should further increase future estimations. However, the Capitals will also be dealing with the potential departure of Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s greatest goal scorer, as he wraps up the final year of his contract this season.
The Capitals are one of just 10 clubs to have seen a 20 percent or more increase since last year. The Florida Panthers ($1.89 billion), coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, saw the most significant value growth (51 percent) and jumped nine spots from 26th to 17th on the list. Surprisingly, the Carolina Hurricanes ($1.92 billion) jumped 10 places from 25th to 15th, the largest leap by any team, with a 49 percent increase in value.
On the other end of the spectrum, the San Jose Sharks ($1.49 billion) experienced the least growth of any franchise (five percent) and were one of three clubs (Vancouver and Tampa Bay) to drop five spots in the rankings, the largest decline of any team. The Columbus Blue Jackets ($1.3 billion) remain the least valuable club in the league, with the Winnipeg Jets ($1.33 billion), Ottawa Senators ($1.34 billion), Buffalo Sabres ($1.36 billion), and the Utah Mammoth ($1.44 billion) not far ahead of them.
According to the results, the average NHL team is worth $2.1 billion. The joint valuations mark only the second year in league history where every single team is worth at least $1 billion.
