Christian McCaffrey missed the San Francisco 49ers‘ 2024 season opener due to a calf injury. It turns out the star running back is also battling Achilles tendinitis, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters.
“It’s not just the calf, it’s the Achilles, and the Achilles is tendinitis,” Shanahan said, per NBC Sports, “and that stuff comes and goes. And when it is acting up it’s something you’ve got to be very careful about. Christian is very diligent about that stuff. If it was a playoff game, he made it very clear to me he believed he could go. But when you hear that type of stuff, and it’s not a playoff game, and it’s Week 1, especially when you’re dealing with the lower extremities like that … in the long run it made [the decision] easy.”
Achilles tendinitis can ultimately weaken the Achilles tendon, according to Mayo Clinic, making it more vulnerable to a tear, which would necessitate a surgery that would likely end McCaffrey’s season. Daily stretching and lower-intensity workouts can help treat tendinitis, however, as some cases are not as severe.
The 49ers consider McCaffrey day-to-day in his recovery, Shanahan said, but NFL Media reports the veteran is believed to be a “long shot” to play in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.
The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year was replaced by third-year reserve Jordan Mason against the New York Jets, and Mason exploded for 147 rushing yards and a touchdown in his starting debut. McCaffrey, meanwhile, has an extensive injury history that dates back before his time with the 49ers; the former Carolina Panthers star missed a combined 23 games due to ankle, hamstring and shoulder ailments.
Mason would be in line to remain San Francisco’s top ball-carrier in the event McCaffrey doesn’t suit up.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
September 11, 2024 | 9:36 am
