There had been concerns over whether San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey would be in uniform and available to play when they square off against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in the regular season opener.
While it remains to be seen just how effective he will be, Niners fans can rest easy knowing that McCaffrey feels healthy enough to give it a go against San Francisco's NFC West rival. As he told Vic Tafur of The Athletic on Friday, McCaffrey "feels great" after landing on the team's injury report this week with a calf issue.
Niners' McCaffrey "Feels Great" Ahead of Season Opener vs. Seahawks
As reassuring as the comments from McCaffrey were to hear, the fact that the coaching staff and front office are equally unconcerned about any potential issues with the All-Pro RB's calf. Further reporting from The Athletic on Saturday morning confirmed this.
“I’m told he’s not in a lot of pain and the 49ers aren’t overly concerned,” NFL insider Diana Russini of The Athletic reported.
With the Niners looking to bounce back in a big way from a subpar showing during the 2024 campaign, it will be of utmost importance that McCaffrey is not only in uniform but performing at the level fans have grown accustomed to seeing. Without that, there are far too many questions about the San Francisco offense, specifically at the wide receiver position, to have faith in them making a meaningful push at an NFC title.
After a 2024 season that was ended after just four games and 50 total carries, the Niners' star rusher should be as fresh as he can be entering the 17-game grind that is the NFL regular season schedule. Beyond that, based off the type of competitor he is alone, McCaffrey will be out to prove to the rest of the football world that he is still the same dominant force he always has been, despite the Achilles and PCL issues he dealt with last year.
His first opportunity to do that comes this Sunday, and McCaffrey seems ready to roll as we inch closer to the opening kickoff at Lumen Field.