Dante Pettis excited for unexpected second chance with 49ers

A familiar face is back in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wide receiver Dante Pettis is getting another opportunity with the franchise that originally drafted him, returning to the 49ers on the heels of a tough string of injuries that has decimated the team’s wide receiver room.

Pettis, 30, was originally selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. During his initial stint in San Francisco, he appeared in 28 games, hauling in 38 receptions for 576 yards and seven touchdowns. Following his release, Pettis spent time bouncing around the league with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints, adding another 54 catches, 655 yards, and six scores to his career totals across 38 additional contests.

For Pettis, the unexpected phone call and chance to work out for his former team was an opportunity he wasn’t going to take for granted. Speaking to reporters in the locker room, Pettis admitted he was thrilled to get a second lease on life with the club.

“You always want to end on a good note. You don’t always get the opportunity to get a second chance at things,” Pettis said. “So, I was definitely very excited when I heard that they were going to come in and do a workout and now we’re here.”

“I always wanted to end on a good note. You don’t always get an opportunity to get a second chance out there, so I was definitely very excited when I heard that they wanted me to come in and do a workout, and now we’re here.”

– Dante Pettis on him returning to the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/FUtG7LB9Sy

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 1, 2026

Despite how his first chapter in San Francisco ended in 2020, head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that there was never any bad blood between the two sides.

“There was no relationship issue. That was just how it worked out,” Shanahan said when asked about their previous split. “I think people get confused sometimes with saying people are in the doghouse and things like that. People, I think, sometimes get that confused with just coaching. But, I’ve always loved Dante. Dante’s a great dude. He’s got a lot of ability.” Shanahan also noted that Pettis has continued to develop and do good things since leaving the organization.

The reunion comes at a critical time for San Francisco. The team’s depth at wide receiver has been severely tested by a litany of injuries plaguing the room—affecting names like De’Zhaun Stribling, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk, and Mike Evans. With the 49ers needing healthy bodies and reliable contributors to weather their current injury storm, Pettis will look to turn his second chance into a meaningful impact on the field.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Dante Pettis excited for unexpected second chance with 49ers