San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up prior to a game against the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey returned to practice after nearly two weeks away and explained that his absence was part of a larger plan to manage his workload, amid speculation that his absences were a contractual hold-in.
“Obviously when you don't practice, the way the media works now it's a firestorm,” the 30-year-old said. “But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we're fresh for the duration. … And again, I feel great. I feel fresh and it's good to be back out there.”
Managing McCaffrey's workload is especially important after his massive 2025 campaign. He rushed for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while recording 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven receiving scores. He finished the season with 413 touches and played 1,010 offensive snaps between the regular season and playoffs, becoming just the ninth running back in the past 20 seasons to surpass 1,000 snaps.
McCaffrey also became the second player in the past decade to reach at least 450 combined carries and receptions. However, his history following high-volume seasons makes workload management all the more important. He previously exceeded 400 touches in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers and 2023 with the 49ers, then missed 13 games because of injuries in both 2020 and 2024.
After being limited to four games by injuries in 2024, McCaffrey's availability became a big factor in San Francisco's 2025 season. His return to practice now provides the 49ers with a positive update as they prepare for the regular season.