Christian McCaffrey
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Get the latest update on Christian McCaffrey's calf injury and its potential impact on the San Francisco 49ers' 2025 season.
Christian McCaffrey has been nothing short of transformative for the San Francisco 49ers, reshaping their offense into one of the league’s most well-respected units.
But for all the brilliance he’s brought to Levi’s Stadium, his 2024 season has cast a shadow over his time with the Niners.
He had near-perfect availability in 2022 and 2023, but 2024 was a different story: an Achilles-related calf issue kept him out for the first eight weeks, and just when he returned, a PCL sprain in his knee ended his season after four games. The 49ers finished with a 6–11 record without him, leaving many fans and analysts wondering how much he has left — and whether he can come back strong in 2025.
On September 4, concerns about the superstar running back’s health reemerged when McCaffrey appeared on the injury report with a calf issue just three days before the season opener. For a player with his injury history, even a small flare-up is going to raise eyebrows.
The 49ers Need McCaffrey Back in Top Form in 2025
San Francisco 49ers' running back Christian McCaffrey, John Lynch
GettySan Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey popped up on the Week 1 injury report with a calf issue.
Since his arrival in an October 2022 trade from Carolina, McCaffrey has been the beating heart of Kyle Shanahan’s offense, producing at a level few players in football can match. In 2023 he was named Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NFL in rushing with 1,459 yards and stringing together 17 consecutive games with a touchdown.
He capped that season with a Super Bowl performance that saw him rack up more than 80 all-purpose yards. That’s the version of McCaffrey the 49ers need this fall—but new concerns about his calf make it fair to wonder if he’ll be able to stay on the field.
Over his two full seasons in San Francisco, McCaffrey has given the franchise the exact kind of weapon Shanahan long coveted. His ability to make every formation unpredictable has not only opened up the passing game but also stabilized the quarterback position during stretches of turbulence.
But the best ability is availability, and if he’s not on the field, the Niners’ offense changes, big time.
Christian McCaffrey Injury Update: Will He Play in Season Opener vs. Seahawks?
Here is today’s 49ers injury report in which RB Christian McCaffey was added with a calf injury one day after he fully participated in practice: pic.twitter.com/ohjq3sALPv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2025
A calf injury may not sound catastrophic in early September, but when it echoes the same leg issues that derailed his 2024 season, it’s fair to be concerned. For San Francisco, the question isn’t only whether McCaffrey will be available in Week 1—it’s whether they can reasonably expect him to carry them through 17 games and into January.
If McCaffrey can’t go against Seattle, San Francisco’s contingency plan will be a heavy dose of Brian Robinson Jr. who came over from Washington in an August 24 trade. Isaac Guerendo would serve as the team’s change-of-pace option.
What bears watching ad the season progresses is whether the veteran RB’s body can hold up to the demands of being the centerpiece in a system that leans on him so heavily. Thursday’s injury report doesn’t answer that—it only amplifies the uncertainty. And for the 49ers, who know both the ceiling and the cost of life with McCaffrey, that uncertainty is the most unsettling part of all.