The Christian McCaffrey injury saga continues. And unfortunately, it’s more bad news for the San Francisco 49ers.
On Friday, after the 49ers’ 36-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the media, and had an update on the team’s star running back.
Shanahan told reporters that McCaffrey, who hasn’t played this season and is currently on injured reserve, won’t have his practice window opened this week. That obviously rules him out for their huge Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. It also means he’s still a ways away from returning to the field.
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LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 11: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV. McCaffrey won’t return to practice this week.
Perry Knotts/Getty Images
McCaffrey suffered a calf strain early in training camp and was ruled out for the entire preseason. While there was initially optimism that he would be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, hours before the team’s Monday night opener against the New York Jets, McCaffrey was ruled out.
Then, before the team’s Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve, meaning he would be out for at least a month.
A month has now passed, and McCaffrey is currently eligible to return to practice. However, he’s clearly not yet ready to do so yet.
McCaffrey’s initial training camp injury has worsened, as he’s dealing with Achilles tendinitis in both of his Achilles. McCaffrey traveled to Germany to see a specialist, as the team is doing anything they can to get their star running back on the field.
Unfortunately, he won’t be returning in Week 7, and the team won’t even open his practice window until Week 8 at the earliest.
McCaffrey is coming off a 2023 season in which he won the Offensive Player of the Year award, leading the league in total touches (339), yards from scrimmage (2,023), and total rushing and receiving touchdowns (21). He established himself as the league’s premier running back in the San Francisco offense, and the team has gone just 3-3 without him this season.
The running game hasn’t suffered too much, as Jordan Mason currently leads the NFL in rushing attempts (114) and rushing yards (609). However, Mason also suffered an injury in Week 6, putting his status for Week 7 in jeopardy.
Read more: Major Injury Update on 49ers RB Jordan Mason
McCaffrey’s impact in the passing game has definitely been felt, though, and the 49ers will continue to play without their No. 1 weapon. Hopefully, the team is able to open his practice window ahead of Week 8, allowing him to make a midseason return around Week 9 or 10.
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