After spending the first half of the season watching from the sidelines while recovering from Achilles tendinitis, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey is eager to get back on the field.
McCaffrey admitted that the time off was tough, describing it as a “dark” period where he had to deal with both physical pain and the frustration of not being able to play. But now, that chapter is behind him, and McCaffrey is ready to make his season debut for the 49ers on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Sometimes you just take it for granted that you play this game for a living and it’s what you do, it’s what you train for,” McCaffrey said on Friday. “But when it’s taken from you, even just for a little bit of time, it makes you really appreciate every single day when you’re on the grass.”
McCaffrey returned to practice on Monday and has since completed four days of practice without any issues, which means he is cleared to play. Although he is still on injured reserve, McCaffrey is listed as questionable, but the team plans to activate him on Saturday.
“We’ll take him off IR tomorrow and then he’ll be good to go,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “So unless something crazy happens on this plane ride, he should be good to go once he gets off IR.”
However, the injury news isn’t all good for the 49ers. Star defensive end Nick Bosa is listed as questionable after injuring his hip in practice on Wednesday. Shanahan expressed concern that Bosa might not be able to play on Sunday.
“He wasn’t able to do a lot (at practice). He was extremely limited,” Shanahan said. “Hoping he’ll be all right, but we’ll see on Sunday.”
San Francisco will also be without starting cornerback Charvarius Ward, who has been away from the team this week following the tragic death of his 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy. A memorial service was held in Dallas on Friday, and general manager John Lynch attended to support Ward during this difficult time.
McCaffrey has been dealing with Achilles tendinitis since early August. He missed nearly all of training camp before returning to practice just before the season opener. However, he was ruled out right before the first game against the New York Jets on September 9, and then experienced a setback in practice on September 12.
Two days later, McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve, and he has spent the last seven weeks resting and rehabbing. He also traveled to Germany for additional treatment, but he declined to discuss that part of his recovery on Friday.
“I keep all that stuff private,” McCaffrey said. “When you’re on IR and hurt, you’ll do anything to come back. I feel good right now. That’s all that matters.”
The 49ers (4-4) are hoping that McCaffrey’s return will provide a much-needed boost in the second half of the season. The team has struggled offensively, averaging 3.9 fewer points per game than last season.
Jordan Mason has stepped up in McCaffrey’s absence, rushing for 685 yards in eight games, but the 49ers have noticeably missed McCaffrey in the red zone and in the passing game.
San Francisco has only 26 receptions by running backs this season, which is the fourth-lowest in the league, after being among the top five in that category in the past two seasons when McCaffrey was healthy.
Last season, McCaffrey led the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, helping lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl.
After missing 23 games due to injuries during his last two seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey has stayed healthy the past two years. He missed just one game in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game for the 49ers when he had a sore calf. His 798 combined touches in the regular season and playoffs over the past two seasons were the third most by any player in the past decade.
But McCaffrey isn’t worried about any lingering issues with his injury. “I feel good now,” he said. “I wouldn’t be out here if it was still bothering me. I feel great.”
