NFL fans around the country were stunned to learn that San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey wouldn’t just miss Week 1 but most of the 2024-25 season due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis.
Now, he’s making a comeback, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has provided his thoughts on how it’s going.
Kyle Shanahan Gives Opinion on Christian McCaffrey Comeback
McCaffrey played very little of the 2024-25 season. In fact, he played just four games, totaling 50 carries for 202 yards and no touchdowns. In the passing game, he caught 15 passes on 19 targets for 146 yards and no touchdowns.
After dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis last season, McCaffrey is healthy and aims to bounce back to his old self, a form that had over 2,000 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns during the 2023-24 season.
On Tuesday, June 10, during a press conference at minicamp, Shanahan provided his insight into McCaffrey’s offseason status and progression.
“If I said it, I’d be making it up because Christian is — I mean, he is a psycho in a good way, and so like he does everything imaginable every single day. Last year, he couldn’t because he was battling injury all last year. And this year he is healthy, so he is right back to being who he has always been, and it’s really fun to watch,” Shanahan said.
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY IS LOOKING HEALTHY AND MOVING AT AN ELITE SPEED.
👀
CMC IS BACK.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 4, 2025
The 49ers dealt with numerous injuries last season, including to running backs Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who all had their seasons cut short. There were also injuries to left tackle Trent Williams, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and others.
After being a favorite for Super Bowl 59, the 49ers finished with a 6-11 record. That was their worst finish since 2020 when they went 6-10. From 2021 to the end of the 2023 season, they had no fewer than 10 wins in any season. In that span, they went to two conference title games and a Super Bowl.
The team still finished inside the top 10 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric in 2024 with an 80.5 grade. However, their struggles showed up defensively, as they finished 26th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric with a grade of 68.5.
Looking Ahead to the 49ers’ 2025 Season
With McCaffrey and other key pieces recovering from injuries, the 49ers are looking to get back on track and add to what they showed during the 2023-24 season, in which they made it to Super Bowl 58 and lost.
Some changes have occurred, though, including the team trading away wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., signing quarterback Brock Purdy to a massive extension, and drafting notable 2025 NFL Draft selections like Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and C.J. West to help bolster their defense.
With McCaffrey back and hopefully at full strength, the 49ers should be able to re-position themselves as a top force in the NFL.
