The San Francisco 49ers’ quest to advance to the Super Bowl hit a snag on Tuesday.
Coach Kyle Shanahan announced that last year’s Offensive Player of the Year winner Christian McCaffrey will miss “several weeks” with a calf injury.
McCaffrey only played in 10 games total in 2020-2021 due to injuries.
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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
The 49ers’ season doesn’t start for another five weeks, so McCaffrey has plenty of time to return, but Shanahan noted McCaffrey won’t take part in the preseason.
It’s becoming increasingly rare for star veterans to play in the preseason, so who knows if McCaffrey would have played; he’s only appeared in two preseason games since 2019.
It’s also worth noting that McCaffrey is on the cover of Madden 25, with fans worried that this could be a return of the so-called “Madden curse.”
Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Nov. 23, 2023 in Seattle. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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In the early 21st century, the sport’s cover athletes often had ups and downs seasons immediately following them, with Dante Culpepper (2001), Donovan McNabb (2006), Shaun Alexander (2007) and Vince Young (2008) being some of the most notable examples.
But the curse hasn’t happened since Rob Gronkowski graced the cover in 2016 and then had the worst performance of his career.
The Niners suffered several other blows: backup running back Elijah Mitchell injured his hamstring and rookie wide receiver Ricky Piersall aggravated a shoulder injury.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey celebrates after scoring during the second half of a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 1, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
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McCaffrey ran for a league-leading, career-best 1,459 yards last season and his 21 total touchdowns were an NFL record and a career high.
San Francisco opens the season on Sept. 9 against the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football.”
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