“Got to Do a Better Job”: 49ers Coach Confirms Plans to Restrict Christian McCaf...
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has grown into one of the most consistent performers in the NFL. If the star running back were to enter free agency, everyone needing a boost in their rushing attack would jump at the chance. But despite the huge upside he brings, McCaffrey is one of the senior players in the league. Even though the RB is in his prime in terms of performance, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak is planning to make a tough decision.
“It is challenging, because you’re talking about a player who does not want to come off the field,” Kubiak said about the McCaffrey situation. “But when you look around the league, and you study great backs, and you study guys who affect the game like he does, those guys do come out of the game. Those guys do get a blow sometimes. Whether it’s a drive or a couple plays in a series, it helps those players.
“Christian knows that, and we got to do a better job as coaches. We got to do a better job at times of getting a better rotation. We got back young backs that we want to get more production out of.
Kubiak’s comments come after McCaffrey led the NFL with 413 touches last season and rushed for 1,202 yards in the regular season. He also had an NFL-high 339 touches in 2023 while ranking second in the league in yards per carry (5.4). And, McCaffrey was the Offensive Player of the Year that season. He’s going to turn 30 this year, but he remains an anchor in the Niners’ run game. But, this is also the age when RBs of his caliber start phasing out.
Usually, they become limited by their own physicality, being weakened with age. McCaffrey already missed 13 games in 2024 after suffering a pedal Achilles sprain and a knee PCL sprain. He won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2025 for playing as if he’d never missed a beat. But the bigger question is about McCaffrey being sustainable as the leading rusher for the team post-30. Coaches will eventually have to swallow the tough pill of forcing such players to the background.
https://sports.yahoo.com/a...
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has grown into one of the most consistent performers in the NFL. If the star running back were to enter free agency, everyone needing a boost in their rushing attack would jump at the chance. But despite the huge upside he brings, McCaffrey is one of the senior players in the league. Even though the RB is in his prime in terms of performance, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak is planning to make a tough decision.
“It is challenging, because you’re talking about a player who does not want to come off the field,” Kubiak said about the McCaffrey situation. “But when you look around the league, and you study great backs, and you study guys who affect the game like he does, those guys do come out of the game. Those guys do get a blow sometimes. Whether it’s a drive or a couple plays in a series, it helps those players.
“Christian knows that, and we got to do a better job as coaches. We got to do a better job at times of getting a better rotation. We got back young backs that we want to get more production out of.
Kubiak’s comments come after McCaffrey led the NFL with 413 touches last season and rushed for 1,202 yards in the regular season. He also had an NFL-high 339 touches in 2023 while ranking second in the league in yards per carry (5.4). And, McCaffrey was the Offensive Player of the Year that season. He’s going to turn 30 this year, but he remains an anchor in the Niners’ run game. But, this is also the age when RBs of his caliber start phasing out.
Usually, they become limited by their own physicality, being weakened with age. McCaffrey already missed 13 games in 2024 after suffering a pedal Achilles sprain and a knee PCL sprain. He won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2025 for playing as if he’d never missed a beat. But the bigger question is about McCaffrey being sustainable as the leading rusher for the team post-30. Coaches will eventually have to swallow the tough pill of forcing such players to the background.
https://sports.yahoo.com/a...
27 days ago
