Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 did not go as planned. He missed the first eight games with a sore Achilles, then missed the final five after suffering a PCL injury in Week 13.
He’s on the road to recovery again, and his father, three-time Super Bowl champion Ed McCaffrey, recently threw some high praise on the running back.
Christian McCaffrey Will Be Back Stronger Than Ever, According to His Father
Christian was the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and spent the first five and a half years of his career with the Carolina Panthers. His first three seasons were exceptional, culminating in a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl in 2019.
He totaled 1,387 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns that year, while adding 116 catches, 1,005 yards, and four receiving scores. Christian set the NFL single-season record for receptions by a running back that season, but was limited to 10 total games over the next two years.
Carolina traded him to the San Francisco 49ers mid-way through the 2022 season, and he made the Pro Bowl again after totaling 1,880 scrimmage yards and 13 total touchdowns. Christian was integral in San Francisco’s run to Super Bowl 58 in 2023, leading the league in rushing yards with 1,459.
He was named first-team All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts, but his career swerved in 2024. Christian signed a two-year, $38 million extension last offseason, but entered the season with a sore Achilles. A Week 13 PCL injury ended his season, and Christian totaled 202 rushing yards, 15 catches, 146 receiving yards, and no touchdowns in 2024.
Liam Solomon of Bet Ideas recently interviewed Ed. They first talked about Christian’s injury-plagued 2024 season, how he’ll bounce back, and how long he could continue playing. Ed said, “He loves training, he loves working out, he loves the offseason, because he gets bigger, stronger, faster. If you just focus on that, you enjoy every day, and then you play for as long as you can.”
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Ed then spoke about how great of a processor Christian is and how that benefits the quarterback. He even threw some very high praise on his son, saying, “He’s the best receiving running back out of the backfield that’s ever played the game — that’s just a fact. I think those types of backs, based on the way the passing game has evolved in the NFL, are the type of backs that are going to be highly regarded moving forward.”
Ed then broke down how valuable a running back who’s proficient as a receiver is, saying, “You’re always going to need a first- and second-down guy. Those guys are valuable, but having a guy that doesn’t leave the field that can contribute on third down (is huge).
“And when we say receiver, there’s a difference between catching check-downs or catching the wide routes or swing routes – running the running back route tree – and lining up in the slot, and going man-to-man versus a safety or a linebacker, running a stutter comeback outside the numbers.”
Ed won three Super Bowls over his 13-year career. He made the Pro Bowl just once, in 1998, but he knows a thing or two about being a quality receiver in the NFL. When healthy, Christian is one of the most dynamic players in the NFL, and offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak recently gave an encouraging update during the team’s offseason workouts.
“49ers Report” by Chat Sports reported that Kubiak said, “Christian’s doing great. He looks awesome, and we’re pumped up that he’s out there working every day. I look forward to getting him back out there full time.”
This is big news for 49ers fans. San Francisco’s offense finished No. 9 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season, but traded away Deebo Samuel. Getting Christian back at full strength is critical for them to compete in the NFC West in 2025.
