Three-time Pro Bowler Christian McCaffrey is the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year. The San Francisco 49ers have relied on the star running back since the team acquired him in a 2022 trade.
His 339 touches were an NFL-best last season, but McCaffrey is no stranger to dealing with the physical demands that come with being a high-stakes player. He’s averaged at least 19.4 touches per game over the past six seasons.
But the Madden 2024 Cover Athlete could see its workload lighter in 2024.
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Head coach Kyle Shanahan, right, of the San Francisco 49ers, interacts with Christian McCaffrey before the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
McCaffrey celebrated his 28th birthday last month. That same month, the Niners rewarded him with a contract extension This would keep him with the franchise through the 2027 season.
Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers head coachacknowledged McCaffrey’s importance to the team and noted that protecting the league’s highest-paid running back next season will be a priority.
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“We have guys that can run the ball,” Shanahan said. “We have to protect Christian from himself. He never likes to go out, no matter what the situation is. And I think that’s something we could protect him with more.”
Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers runs for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
McCaffrey was on the field for 81 percent of the 49ers’ snaps last season. Shanahan and the coaching staff opted to have him play in the 2023 regular season finale because the team had already clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs.
Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
McCaffrey’s versatility has been a key part of his success throughout his career. NFL Career. He finished the 2019 season with the Carolina Panthers with a career-high 1,005 receiving yards. He has a career-high seven touchdowns in 2023.
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“When you’re such a threat in the passing game, it’s a little different,” Shanahan added. “But if he’s just going to take the wear and tear of 20 carries and all that every game – and he’s certainly good enough to do that, and he’s proven he can stay healthy – but you’d like to take away some of that and give it to other players as well. »
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