Things are even tougher for San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey.
According to ESPN, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that McCaffrey is suffering from Achilles tendonitis in not just one, but both legs.
ESPN's Adam Schefter added that Shanahan said he has been experiencing “bilateral Achilles tendonitis for some time, but the symptoms have been concentrated in one leg versus the other.”
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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, 23, watches injured players during the second quarter of their game against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. (David Gonzalez Images)
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the news on the “49ers Talk Podcast'' on Sunday.
As Schefter points out, this was always expected to be solely due to the Achilles tendinitis issue, so it's an even bigger blow to the 49ers' plans to have McCaffrey play this year.
Christian McCaffrey consults with German specialist about Achilles tendon injury as 49ers' problems mount
Now, it's unclear if McCaffrey actually had both of his affected feet treated throughout the offseason, or if this is a new injury that occurred in recent weeks.
Either way, it's not where the dynamic running back wants to be as the 49ers look to avenge last season's Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Christian No. 23 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl III at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 11, 2024. -McCaffrey runs the ball for a touchdown. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The 49ers said they are not rushing McCaffrey back this year, especially since his backup, Jordan Mason, has performed very well since taking over the starting role.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers' plan is to have McCaffrey begin physical therapy this week and hope to increase his workload until he is ready to return from injured reserve. .
This happened after McCaffrey traveled to Germany to see an Achilles tendon specialist for his injury. That raised further suspicions, and now there were reports of a second person being injured.
As a result, 49ers fans and McCaffrey fantasy team owners aren't getting the positive development they were hoping for when reports about him come out.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey #23 during an NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 45-29. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Mason has 447 rushing yards, the second-most in the league through four games, and has been active behind the line where McCaffrey usually thrives.
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