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SAN FRANCISCO – As long as Christian McCaffrey is on the field, he’s going to show up.
The San Francisco 49ers star running back was the only non-quarterback to be an MVP finalist and was also in the running for his second Offensive Player of the Year award in three years after racking up 2,126 yards from scrimmage and scoring 17 total touchdowns.
For the most part, this shouldn’t surprise anyone, but given McCaffrey’s devastating 2024 season, when he missed 13 games with Achilles tendinitis and a knee injury, “what if” was in the conversation.
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Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after McCaffrey received a touchdown during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on October 15, 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Grégory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Yeah, you know, I think last year was tough. There was a lot of uncertainty for me the whole offseason, I was working extremely hard day and night to try to get back to where I needed to be,” McCaffrey told PK Press Club Digital on Radio Row. “I really thank God. I feel very blessed to have played every game. You know, it’s something I never take for granted again. And I feel blessed to be able to come out of the season healthy.”
McCaffrey became only the second player to be nominated for MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year in the same season. He was also voted by fans as one of FedEx’s Air and Ground Players of the Year.
“It’s a cool award. Voted on by the fans, which makes it really cool, and it’s been going for 23 years now, so it’s one of the longest running awards in the NFL. So, I’m very grateful,” McCaffrey said. “They’re also donating $15,000 to Feeding America, a local food bank here in San Francisco. So, you know, getting an award, being able to give back a little bit, it’s pretty cool.”
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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McCaffrey won Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday night considering last year’s injuries and this year’s breakout success. Given his age, many feared this was the beginning of the end.
McCaffrey was certainly nervous too, but it’s not exactly a new feeling for him.
“I’ve been worrying since I was in high school. Most of my mindset is just worry. You know, part of what drives me is just, you know, that anxiety of not living up to my potential or not being able to play. So, it’s definitely something that’s always in my head transparently,” McCaffrey said. “But I think that’s the beauty of training. Any time that’s how you start, then you practice and practice and practice and do everything you can to get to where you want to be, which will give you confidence, you know what? I’m confident in my training. I know I can do it now. I feel good about where I’m at.”
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, right, celebrates his touchdown with offensive tackle Trent Williams during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, September 17, 2023, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
McCaffrey will be 30 by the time he plays meaningful football again, but after almost another 1,000-1,000 yard season, there’s not much to worry about.
