​A former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver has decided to retire after seven seasons in the NFL. Trent Taylor, a fifth-round pick by the 49ers out of Louisiana Tech in 2017, announced his retirement publicly, sharing the moment with his wife and friends in an Instagram post that also featured former 49ers teammate George Kittle and Kittle’s wife, Claire. The 32-year-old receiver spent the first four years of his NFL career in San Francisco, where he had his best statistical season as a rookie. Standing at 5-foot-8, Taylor recorded 43 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns while also serving as the team’s punt returner, totaling 30 punt returns for 281 yards.
Before the 2021 season, Taylor signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he appeared in all four of their postseason games as they advanced to the Super Bowl. He caught a crucial two-point conversion in the AFC Championship Game, helping to even the score at 21 before Cincinnati edged Kansas City, 27-24. During that postseason, he also logged six punt returns for 76 yards. In 2022, Taylor served as the Bengals’ primary punt returner, and he filled the same role for the Chicago Bears in 2023. He finished his career back in San Francisco after re-signing with the 49ers, appearing in two games during the 2024 season. He then signed a reserve/future contract with the team ahead of the 2025 season but was placed on injured reserve in June, missing the entire year.
Across 80 games with three starts, Taylor totaled 88 receptions for 845 yards and three touchdowns, along with 112 punt returns for 1,051 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per return. While Taylor’s career comes to a close, another 49ers wide receiver’s trajectory continues to unfold. Ricky Pearsall is entering his third season with the team after spending 2025 as San Francisco’s starting wide receiver. Yet injuries limited him to just nine games, where he recorded 36 receptions for 528 yards but did not find the end zone. By contrast, his rookie numbers were stronger, with 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns across 11 games, starting four of them.
As Pearsall moves into his third season, the expectation is that he will prove the first-round promise that accompanied his selection. However, some projections have begun to question whether Pearsall can meet those lofty early expectations. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, in a piece previewing “Predicting Every NFL Team’s Biggest Bust of the 2026 NFL Season,” singled Pearsall out as the 49ers’ potential biggest bust. Moton noted that in 2025 Pearsall posted 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns, a lack of production even with Brandon Aiyuk sidelined for a full season. He suggested Pearsall did not fully capitalize on increased opportunities in the passing game, partly due to injuries, casting doubt on whether the former first-round pick would live up to the hype.
This context underscores the ongoing drama within the 49ers’ receiving corps as Pearsall attempts to establish himself as a reliable contributor, while the organization reflects on Taylor’s steady contributions and departure. The franchise will continue to balance veterans and emerging talent as it seeks to optimize its aerial attack and special-teams impact in the years ahead.