Christian McCaffrey’s season ended in the kind of silence that follows a storm, heavy and impossibly still. The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks 41-6 on Saturday, closing the door on their playoff run. McCaffrey battled through a shoulder stinger sustained in the first half, returned for a brief stretch because that’s simply who he is, and was eventually shut down as the score grew out of reach.
Christian McCaffrey Reflects on His Year After Playoff Loss
By the time McCaffrey spoke to reporters, the rawness of the night had already settled in. “This was one of the hardest years of my life,” McCaffrey said. “And everything that happened to me last year — kind of had to overcome a lot of odds.”
Last season nearly took football away from him. Injuries to his Achilles and knee limited him to only four games and forced him into a relentless rehab process. “And from the time January 1st happened, I was rehabbing and working my bu** off every single day. My wife went through it. There was not a lot of time off.”
That commitment led to McCaffrey carrying the 49ers offense, often on a bruised and overworked body. Including the playoffs, he finished the season with 450 touches: 337 rushing attempts and 113 receptions.
“Obviously, we’re not proud of the way it ended, but when I look back at the people that helped me out and the people that were with me every step of the way and believed in me when a lot of people didn’t, I appreciate that.
“Really grateful for my family, my friends, and everybody in that locker room, but again it’s just hard to process it. It sucks to lose, but you know, go hang out with those guys on the plane and process it how we will,” McCaffrey added.
McCaffrey didn’t miss a game this year. In fact, he seemed to get stronger after the Week 14 bye. Saturday night, though, he asked more than he could give. He left the game in the second quarter after a heavy hit left his left arm hanging, returned briefly, and then watched the rest as the helmet stayed off on the sidelines as trainers iced his shoulder and neck.
The 49ers’ run game, which had fueled them all year, never found its footing against Seattle. McCaffrey recorded 35 yards on 11 carries, and San Francisco’s offense had trouble creating momentum, which has a score of 85.2 on PFSN’s Offense Impact metric.
