Ever since the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime in the Super Bowl in February, the storied NFL franchise has dealt with nothing but off-the-field distractions, which has put the focus on various contract talks and injuries.
Fortunately for San Francisco, it was finally able to agree to new deals for offensive stars Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk, which seemed to be the primary concern throughout the offseason.
However, a couple of other issues have sprung up in the Bay Area over the past few weeks, with the unfortunate shooting incident involving rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and a concern about the status of superstar running back Christian McCaffrey moving forward.
Even though it was a scary moment for Pearsall and the 49ers, the rookie seems to be OK even though he won’t play at least the first four games of the season as he tries to get physically and mentally ready to return to the field.
As for McCaffrey, the perennial Pro Bowler is battling a calf injury that is now also being referred to as an Achilles injury, which is always concerning for any player, especially one who has played running back for as long as he has.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan tried to downplay the concern about the Achilles injury designation by claiming it is not new because it is part of the calf injury, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Kyle Shanahan said Christian McCaffrey’s Achilles injury isn’t new. Part of the calf injury he sustained in training camp. #49ers
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) September 5, 2024
#49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) will be limited in practice today.
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) September 5, 2024
Even though McCaffrey is considered the best running back in the NFL right now, he has dealt with several injuries over the years.
Although McCaffrey has been limited in practice, for obvious reasons, he’ll likely be on the field when they host the New York Jets to open the season on “Monday Night Football.”
