Given all of the injury issues the San Francisco 49ers have dealt with this season, the last thing the team wanted to see was star running back Chrisitan McCaffrey laboring through the end of the team’s 42-38 Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears.
After being limited to just four games in 2024, McCaffrey has been the lone survivor of San Francisco’s skill players this year.
Quarterback Brock Purdy missed 8 games with a severe turf toe injury, tight end George Kittle missed 6 games while on injured reserve, and wide receivers Jauan Jennings (2) and Ricky Pearsall (7) have also missed time with varying ailments.
With plenty at stake in Saturday’s Week 18 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks — a win would lock up the NFC West division title and give the 49ers the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — it’s imperative San Francisco has a healthy McCaffrey for the game.
McCaffrey Reveals Latest on Back Injury
Some concern was raised when McCaffrey, who has 1,179 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns plus 96 catches, 890 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns, didn’t practice on Tuesday.
However, the star RB informed reporters his back isn’t bad enough to keep him from playing at Levi’s Stadium to close out the regular season.
“No, [it’s] not serious,” McCaffrey stated, via David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone.
Added head coach Kyle Shanahan: “It’s just stiff. … Hadn’t heard anything about it since, so it might have stiffened up in the game. I know it was sore just from Sunday night, so that’s why we got him on here (listed as not practicing) today.”
The last time the 49ers played the Seahawks — a 17-13 SF win back in Week 1 — McCaffrey played a key role, rushing for 69 yards and logging 9 catches on 10 targets for 73 yards.
With so much riding on Week 18’s contest, there was little doubt in McCaffrey’s mind he was going to miss a game of such big magnitude.
“It means a lot,” McCaffrey said of being healthy enough to play in Week 18. “It’s a huge game for us, obviously, this week, and our team’s intent and focus is to get better today and show up ready to roll on Saturday.”
McCaffrey on the Cusp of Breaking Several Records
There’s no question McCaffrey has been the 49ers’ MVP this season.
In addition to his impressive weekly performances, the 29-year-old tailback can also write his name in the NFL record books for a few milestones.
McCaffrey needs just 4 receptions to become the first player ever with 2,000 or more yards from scrimmage and 100 or more receptions in multiple seasons.
He could also become the only running back in NFL history to record three seasons of 100 or more catches. No other player has more than one, and only four other players (Larry Centers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Matt Forte, and Austin Ekeler) have ever had one such season.
McCaffrey could also join Tomlinson as the only players in league history with 300 or more carries and 100 or more catches in a single season.
