After making it through most of the summer without any apparent issues, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey landed on the team’s injury report Thursday, raising alarm bells four days before the season opener.
McCaffrey was limited in practice with a calf injury, a concerning development for a player who missed 13 games last season with Achilles and knee issues.
On Friday, the 49ers officially listed McCaffrey as questionable to play Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Is it time to panic? Not precisely, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, though the 49ers don’t appear to be out of the woods just yet.
“If there is any player you are going to take precautions with if he feels something in practice, it’s the guy who’s arguably your best player and missed most of last season with a variety of different ailments.
“We also know that calf injuries can be tricky.”
McCaffrey Did Not Practice Friday
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to discuss specifics of McCaffrey’s injury but did say it happened during Thursday’s practice. On Friday, McCaffrey was in full uniform for the start of practice but did not wind up participating.
According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, McCaffrey went through his usual stretching routine alongside Mike Sola, the 49ers’ director of reconditioning, but did not join the other running backs for individual drills.
McCaffrey was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 — his first full season with the 49ers — when he rushed for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with 67 catches for 564 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.
But in 2024, a calf injury that was expected to sideline McCaffrey for only a few weeks wound up costing him the first eight games of the season. He returned to play four games before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in Week 13.
McCaffrey, who had missed just one game combined in 2022-23, finished the season without a touchdown. And the 49ers, who were besieged by injuries, went just 6-11 and missed the playoffs following a trip to Super Bowl LVIII the year prior.
McCaffrey Isn’t Concerned About His Injury
Hoping to calm fears about his health, McCaffrey, 29, said Friday that his injury is “nothing serious.”
“I feel great about where I’m about,” McCaffrey told reporters. “Unfortunately, when you have an injury history that I have, sometimes when you don’t practice things get blown out of proportion. But like I said, I feel great.”
McCaffrey reiterated that he expects to play Sunday. Newly acquired Brian Robinson Jr. is the 49ers’ No. 2 running back, followed by Isaac Guerendo and rookie fifth-round pick Jordan James.
Insider Shines Light on Christian McCaffrey Injury News: ‘Calf Injuries Can Be Tricky’