49ers’ Christian McCaffrey Claps Back at Kyle Shanahan Critics

Getty Christian McCaffrey, 49ers running back

When your team is 4-0 and has handled each of its opponents with relative ease—posting a 16.8 average margin of victory—sometimes you’ve got to really search hard for things to worry about. And with the 49ers, the one thing that seems to be worrisome is how much coach Kyle Shanahan is leaning on running back Christian McCaffrey.

To be sure, it’s a lot. McCaffrey has 80 carries, most in the league and significantly ahead of No. 2 on the list (Derrick Henry of the Titans, at 73). He has played 213 snaps this season, second among running backs, behind the Chargers’ Kyren Williams. He’s getting a lot of action.

McCaffrey appeared on the “Murph and Mac” show on KNBR in San Francisco this week, though, and the topic of Shanahan’s overusage came up.

“Is he overusing you? That’s the one thing people say, ‘He’s using Christian too much.’ What’s your answer to that?” McCaffrey was asked.

He snapped back, decisively: “I just respectfully say no. Yeah. No.”

Christian McCaffrey Having MVP Season

What has been clear here in the early going of the season is that McCaffrey is putting forth an MVP-caliber campaign, with a league-high 459 rushing yards, nearly 100 yards more than DeAndre Swift, who is No. 2 on the list. He has also had 141 yards on 18 receptions and has tallied seven touchdowns, tied for the NFL’s lead (with Raheem Mostert of the Dolphins).

McCaffrey dished out credit to others for his big-time numbers.

“I think it’s a combination of a few different things,” he said. “Obviously, Kyle is an unbelievable play caller. He’s been doing this his whole life. I really feel in the meetings that he was born to do this. I learn something new every day.

“If you look at our team and the guys around us, that’s another huge reason—when you have so many dynamic weapons, you kind of feed off each other. One game, I might have good stats, and the next game, Deebo might go off for 150 and Brandon for 150. There’s really no shortage of guys who can make plays on this team and come out of the game with great games.”

49ers Could Still Be Improving

What might be scariest about the 49ers, who will have a significant test this weekend when they face the Cowboys in what is the most anticipated game of the early NFL schedule, is that they’re not yet in stride. This team, at least on the offensive side of the ball, is still getting better.

Remember, McCaffrey has only been in San Francisco since Week 7 of last season, and quarterback Brock Purdy has only had 12 NFL starts to his credit. McCaffrey has helped transform what was already a good offense into a great one, but there is room yet to improve.

“I just feel so fortunate to come in when it was already established and be a part of something special,” McCaffrey said. “Hopefully, we can keep it up. Like I said, it’s so early, I hate making any kind of like—we have so much more, we can get so much better. That’s what’s really what we are focused on now.”