Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Trent Williams was among those shocked by last weekend’s incident in which San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco.

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On Tuesday, Williams ended his long absence and rejoined the team, admitting that Pearsall’s situation gave him extra motivation to return.

“Honestly, to be honest, I felt more compelled to come back after that than anything else because I’ve never experienced that in my playing career, to have a teammate, so to speak,” Williams told reporters. “So in my mind I just want to get back, around the team.”

Williams said Pearsall immediately stood out during organized team activities (OTAs) and said the rookie made every effort to introduce himself.

“Of course we were going to meet eventually, but I’m getting there, it’s 90 guys on the team just walking out, I don’t know everybody yet,” Williams said. “So, for him to come up and introduce himself, and I just felt his vibe, and I can just feel that he’s such a genuine person.

“So as soon as I saw that (the shooting) happen, I just want to get back. I just want to be a voice in his ear, let him know that everything is going to be okay. I’m going to be there for the team. A lot of people are probably hurt and confused about what happened and think, am i next? So I wanted to be there.”

Williams stressed the importance of being alert as a professional athlete, saying fame can sometimes blind you to the harsh realities of the world around you.

“So always keep your eyes open and realize that there are people out there who don’t value human life. You just have to be aware of that,” Williams added.