San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will not go on injured reserve head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Wednesday. Shanahan said that the team has not considered placing McCaffrey on IR, via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says a stint on injured reserve is not and has not been a consideration for RB Christian McCaffrey.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 11, 2024
McCaffrey, 28, missed the 49ers’ season opener on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets due to a calf injury and Achilles tendonitis. McCaffrey sustained his calf injury in early August, causing him to miss multiple weeks of practice and all of the preseason.
The Stanford product previously sustained a calf strain late in the 2023 season and sat out of the 49ers’ meaningless Week 18 game against the Los Angeles Rams. He did not miss any time in the postseason.
McCaffrey did return to practice before the 49ers season opener, but the team decided to rule him out officially shortly before the game. Since Monday, McCaffrey has been back at practice again, though he was limited on Wednesday.
The three-time Pro Bowler is widely considered the best running back in the NFL. In 2023, McCaffrey recorded one of the best seasons of his career as a true workhorse back for the 49ers. He carried the ball 272 times for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the NFL in rushing yards.
With an additional 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns, McCaffrey finished with over 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns from scrimmage. This was the first time he recorded over 20 total touchdowns and the second time he has recorded over 2,000 yards. McCaffrey finished as a first-team All-Pro and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
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Since arriving in San Francisco when he was traded to the 49ers in the middle of the 2022 season, McCaffrey has missed just two games. He previously missed significant time during his final two full seasons with the Carolina Panthers, as he was limited to 10 total games in 2020 and 2021 due to injuries to his ankle, hamstring, and shoulder.
With McCaffrey out, the 49ers relied on Jordan Mason in the run game. Mason answered the call. During Monday night’s 32-19 win, Mason carried the ball 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, as the 49ers run offense did not miss a beat without their star bell cow.
McCaffrey’s status for the 49ers’ Week 2 game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday remains uncertain. If McCaffrey is unable to go, Mason is expected to get his second career start.
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