49ers McCaffrey Update Boosts Confidence for Impactful Return
49ers McCaffrey Update Boosts Confidence for Impactful Return originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Just one year after enjoying the most memorable season of his career, Christian McCaffrey suffered perhaps his most forgetful.
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The San Francisco 49ers star running back appeared in just four games in the middle of the 2024 season due to Achilles and knee injuries. In 2023, he powered the Niners' to a conference championship as the Offensive Player of the Year with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage.
After a long offseason of recovery, many around the 49ers organization believe "CMC" is back to full strength, threatening a return to team contention after last year's 6-11 season with him on the sideline for most of it.
49ers beat writer Matt Barrows of The Athletic has chimed in with the latest update, it being another quote that is sweet music to the ears of Niners Nation.
"Christian McCaffrey is healthy again," Barrows reported in his notebook of takeaways from spring workouts. "Following a 2024 season marred by Achilles and knee issues, McCaffrey said his goal this spring was to be available for all of the 49ers' OTA and minicamp sessions."
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Barrows added: "And while he didn't look quite like he did in the spring of 2023 ... he didn't have to sit out any sessions. That was a boost of confidence for the running back, who said he'll be back to training as usual during the summer break, and to a 49ers offense that missed McCaffrey last season, especially in the red zone."
To the man himself, this isn't a surprise. He has always stated his mission of being a full participant in minicamp and the upcoming training camp.
McCaffrey - an unfortunately frequent visitor of the rehabilitation department throughout his career - acknowledged that he's learned how to recovery and had to "start from scratch" in order to return to optimal health.
With an offense that surrounds him with multiple weapons, McCaffrey may not need to return to an MVP-caliber level, but of course, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers will take the best that he has to offer.
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That seems not just possible, but probable, thanks to another optimistic report.
Related: 49ers 'Psycho' Christian McCaffrey Noted In 'Healthy Workload' Update
Related: 49ers Running Back Room Clears Top 15 in Recent Rankings
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
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